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Mills Pond Gallery

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"Horseshoe Crab Rising" 48" w x 34" h, by Hank Grebe

An artist’s little black book is often a secret stash of intimate expressions, innermost thoughts, and experimental techniques that lay the groundwork for their final piece. Now some of those secrets will be revealed at the next art exhibit at the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery in St. James. The juried show,  titled Little Black Book, opens July 23.

‘Eva and the Socks’ by Kyle Blumenthal. Images courtesy of STAC

Juror Carol Fabricatore invited artists to enter works that captured the spirit, movement and emotions of their subject. When selecting the pieces for the show she looked for “works inspired by life…works that conjured narratives…that took us to places we had never seen… or introduced us to people and places.”

Artists build their work through inspiration, references, sketches, models, underpaintings and other modes of planning. Entrants were required to submit writeups digital images, sketches, etc. that showed the evolution of each piece they entered into the show.  

The result is 60 works of art by 40 artists created using a variety of mediums including acrylic, charcoal, collage, colored pencil, gouache, graphite, ink, oil, pastel and watercolor.

Exhibiting artists include Amal, Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Nancy Bass, Hema Bharadwaj, Kyle Blumenthal, Renee Caine, Nan Cao, Benjamin Cisek, Caryn Coville, Yunyi Dai, Kirsten DiGiovanni, James Dill, Jacob Docksey, Amanda Dolly, John Edwe, Ella Emsheimer, Nicholas Frizalone, Ayakoh Furukawa-Leonart, Hank Grebe, Susan Guihan Guasp, Stefani Jarrett, Roshanak Keyghobadi, Myungja Anna Koh, Mark Levine, Yuke Li, Edward Mills, Adam Mitchell, Amuri Morris, Patricia Morrison, Eddie Nino, Moriah Ray-Britt, William Reed, Melanie Reim, Marie Roberts, Dominick Santise, Fang Sullivan, Tracy Tekverk and Nina Wood. 

Little Black Book will be on view at the Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James through Aug. 27. Gallery hours are Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, July 23 from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information or directions, visit www.millspondgallery.org or call 631-862-6575. 

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'Grand Prismatic Spring' by John Hunt
'Smithtown Bay, Winter's Day' by John Hunt
'Rock Crossing Arches' by John Hunt
'Back Bay Smithtown' by John Hunt

Smithtown Township Arts Council has announced that the works of St. James artist John Hunt will be on view now through Sept. 9, 2022 at Apple Bank of Smithtown, 91 Route 111, Smithtown. The exhibition, part of the Arts Council’s Outreach Gallery Program, can be viewed during regular banking hours Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

 A St. James resident for 45 years, John Hunt spent the majority of his life on Long Island with time away for military service and education. John holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY New Paltz and a Master of Fine Arts from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago.

“I have always had an interest in representational art and our surroundings,” said Hunt. “From the first time I flew in a plane and looked down at the landscape from a high altitude I became fascinated by the views I was seeing. Our normal relationship to the earth is from the ground and limited by our personal elevation. The view from a high altitude reveals patterns of man’s imprints on the earth as well as nature’s own from erosion or geological events or under ocean formations.”

“I have been able to travel to many areas in our country, especially in the western part of the states. The landscapes and topography are fascinating and prompt me to look at those areas from a greater elevation, so I refer to Google earth to explore the places I have visited from a vantage point way above the normal view. From that elevated position I search for patterns or formations that I find interesting and zoom in to select a view and adjust to arrive at a composition that I want to paint,” he said.

“STAC is grateful to Apple Bank for its continued support of culture in our communities. We are so happy to feature the talents of Long Island artists in this space!” said the press release.

For more information, call 631-862-6575.

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'My Kitchen Floral Arrangement with Green Vase,' watercolor, by Tina Anthony will be on view through July 10. Image courtesy of STAC

The Smithtown Township Arts Council showcases the annual Member Artist Showcase at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James from June 4 to July 10.  The public is invited to an opening reception Saturday June 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. to meet the exhibiting artists and view their work. 

The exhibit features the work of 73 member artists from 40 Long Island communities, NYC and North Carolina. Works were created using a wide variety of mediums including acrylic, beads and mosaic (sculpture), colored pencil, digital, gouache, graphite, ink, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, torn paper (collage), water mixable oil and watercolor.

Local exhibiting artists include Marsha Abrams (Stony Brook), Eugene Adamowicz (Holbrook), Lucia Alberti (Smithtown), Tina Anthony (Northport), Ross Barbera (Ronkonkoma), Shain Bard (Huntington Station), Barbara Ann Bilotta (Sound Beach), Renee Blank (Holbrook),  Joyce Bressler (Commack), Renee Caine (Holtsville), Linda Ann Catucci (St James), Karen Celella (Coram), Carol Ceraso (Hauppauge), Lou Deutsch (Stony Brook), Patricia DiGiovanni (Nesconset), Beth Drucker (St. James), JoAnne Dumas (Wading River), and Karin Dutra (Port Jefferson), Paul Jay Edelson (Poquott), Deidre Elzer-Lento (Asharoken), Ellen Ferrigno (Port Jefferson), Donna Gabusi (Smithtown), Vivian Gattuso (Lake Ronkonkoma), Maureen Ginipro (Smithtown), Rhoda Gordon (Port Jefferson Station), Jan Guarino (East Northport),  John Hunt (St. James), David Jaycox, Jr. (Northport), James Kelson (Stony Brook), Lynn Kinsella (Brookhaven), Myungja Anna Koh (Stony Brook),  Frank Loehr (Ronkonkoma), Jeanette Martone Kathleen Massi (East Setauket), Sebastian McLaughlin (Smithtown), Frederic Mendelsohn (Port Jefferson), Diane Oliva (Middle Island), Eileen Palmer (St. James), Sean Pollock (Stony Brook), Catherine Rezin (Nesconset), Robert Roehrig (East Setauket), Roberta Rogers (Port Jefferson),  Oscar Santiago (Selden), Lori Scarlatos (Saint James), Anita Schnirman (Kings Park), Hillary Serota Needle (Dix Hills), Kathleen Shaff Kelson (Stony Brook), Anita Simmons (Commack), Gisela Skoglund (Kings Park), Silvia Soares Boyer (NYC), Lynn Staiano (Smithtown), Madeline Stare (Smithtown), Angela Stratton (Selden), Daniel Van Benthuysen (Huntington), Mary Ann Vetter (St. James), Mary Waka (Ronkonkoma), Pamela Waldroup (Kings Park), and Robert Wallkam (Port Jefferson).

The Mills Pond Gallery is located at 660 Route 25A, St. James. Gallery hours are Wednesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. (closed July 3, 4, 5). For information or directions visit millspondgallery.org or call 631-862-6575. 

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'Innerbloom' by Melissa Vultaggio
'River Walk' by Jim Minet
'Spero' by Melissa Vultaggio
'Young Men with Snakes' by David P. Doran
'Low Tide' by Rob Roehrig
'Bahama Man' by Terence McManus

As spring blooms on the North Shore, creativity blooms five-fold at the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery in St. James with a new exhibit titled Five Creative Visions. The show opens April 16. The exhibit will feature five artists — David P. Doran, Terence McManus, Jim Minet, Rob Roehrig and Melissa Vultaggio — each sharing their creative voice through a different medium including acrylic, oil, pastel, watercolor and photography.

‘Green Flower Girl’ by Jim Minet will be on view at the Mills Pond Gallery through May 13. Photo from STAC

Bellmore artist David P. Doran is a light film photographer using both 35mm and roll film cameras. A former member of the Camera Club of New York, his exhibit focuses on street photography influenced by Gary Winogrand (1928-1984). Most were taken in New York City, the capital of this genre. In recent years, street photography has been looked upon in some corners as somewhat shopworn. Doran adamantly disagrees stating, “The street is a river of life and such photos are to be considered as part of the tradition of social documentary photography.”

Mt. Sinai artist Terence McManus has always been fascinated by the human face. Primarily a self-taught artist, McManus’s art has been exhibited in hundreds of exhibitions in the New York metropolitan area, winning more than sixty awards in prestigious shows including The Butler Institute of American Art and The Pastel Society of America, among many others. “No two people are alike and what a person experienced in life is often written on the face. When I do a portrait I strive to capture the past, the present and to use a cliché, the soul of the person.”

Nesconset artist Jim Minet works mostly in oil, watercolor, and acrylic. He has exhibited his work across Long Island and in NYC and teaches at numerous spaces across Long Island. “My work is representational in nature but still very eclectic, I like to experiment with different mediums and styles. As people, we are fluid, dynamic, ever changing. My art will change because I will change. Ultimately I believe that whatever creative expression you give to the world — it is, and can only be, a reflection of yourself.”

Primarily a realist painter, Rob Roehrig of East Setauket focuses his creations mainly on landscapes and seascapes. He is especially attracted to scenes that highlight the contrast between sun and shadow. After raising a family and retiring from teaching, Roehrig took up oil painting and his new “career” as an artist took over. “Many of my paintings try to capture the beauty of the natural world. I feel fortunate to live in an area with scenic beaches, coves, wetlands and farms.”

Melissa Vultaggio of Massapequa art reflects her interest in theology, symbolism and synchronicity. She juxtaposes elements of reality with abstraction and surrealism using acrylic paint and mixed media. Her rhythmic compositions convey feelings of whimsy with elements of surprise inspired by visions she acquires in her dreams. Vultaggio’s enthusiasm for art education comes from her belief that young children’s creativity is at its peak, when young minds are free to imagine and explore, given the right motivation, artistic mediums and skills to experiment.

The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James presents Five Creative Visions through May 13. The public is invited to an opening reception on April 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. to meet these talented artists and view their work. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

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By Gia Horton
By Lily Newland
'Sunflowers' by Kyle Blumenthal Image courtesy of Mills Pond Gallery
By Margaret Minardi
By Donna Corvi

It’s time to honor the best of the best. The Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Winners Showcase Fine Art Exhibition kicks off Saturday, March 5 at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James. The exhibit features winning artists from the 2021 Members Showcase (Kyle Blumenthal, Donna Corvi, Margaret Minardi), A Sense of Place (Gia Horton Schifano) and Visualizing the Past (Lily Newland).

Stony Brook artist Kyle Blumenthal’s life is steeped in art. From a very early age, she immersed herself in art books, art prints and art works. She experiences life as an artist, always looking at color, shadow and form in order to better portray them in her art.  An illustrator, a fine artist, a stage designer and display artist, Blumenthal experiments through various media and her paintings convey a message of hope and enlightenment and her subjects echo their spiritual identity through the use of forms, patterns, media, light and color.

Montauk artist Donna Corvi began her career in illustration using watercolor, airbrush and colored pencil. After a commercial art career of 20 years in NYC, a change was in order. “Now, painting in both oil and acrylic, I can focus on painting what resonates with me most…trees, branches, wind and color.” The artist takes daily walks along the water, in the woods and across fields to record her reference material for her expressionist views of tree branches, wind and the ever-changing seasons. “I love trees and I hope that I bring a new awareness about trees to people. The earth needs them–we need them to exist.”

New Hyde Park artist Gia Horton Schifano is a self-taught artist. Her love for Long Island and its beauty from coast to coast is what inspires her. Her sense of composition and realistic style bring to the viewer a sense of peace and beauty in nature. Schifano has worked in charcoal, colored pencil, and acrylic but her latest love is water-mixable oils that lend themselves beautifully to the techniques used for her landscapes and portrait work. Her art focuses on the serenity of the east end of Long Island.

Northport artist Margaret Minardi will be exhibiting work from her new White on White series, which includes high realism portraits and solar plate etchings of her students and daughter…subjects that are close to her heart. “As a 30-year high school art educator, I was privileged to work with teenagers that were magical and complex. They created images that seemed impossible for ones so young. Their art glowed with strength and agonized with fragility. It is my hope that some of their beauty is captured in this series,” she said.

Wantagh artist Lily Newland received her BFA from Binghamton University in 2019 and is currently pursuing an MAT in art education at Queens College. While Newland is well versed in multiple disciplines including painting and printmaking, her passion lies with drawing, the purest expression of the form. She enjoys the subject of the figure in its endless variations and in her desire to distill its fleeting presence. “Drawing has remained a constant for me, when life becomes fussy and my creative enthusiasm gets a bit lost, I can usually find it again by simply returning to my sketch book.”

The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James presents the Winners Showcase Fine Art Exhibition through March 27. The public is invited to an opening reception on March 5 from noon to 4 p.m. to meet the artists and view their work. Face masks are encouraged. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org. 

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'Safe Harbor' by Jan Guarino
'Glorious Morning' by Anita Simmons
'Belle Terre Winter Sunset' by Ellen Ferrigno
'Overflight at Sunken Meadow' by E. Craig Marcin
'Lake Fall, Quiet North Shore LI' by Wendy Hildreth-Spence
'Pecking Order' by Tracy Tekverk
'Sands of Time' by Ron Becker
'Sailor's Delight' by Mary Waka

By Melissa Arnold

With its many beaches, parks, lakes and farmland, it’s easy to see that Long Island is full of natural beauty. For the local art community, the variety of landscapes provide a constant source of inspiration.

Of course, nature is always changing, but not only with the seasons. Global warming continues to affect all of us, driving home the message that nothing is guaranteed and that we must work together to protect our world.

The Smithtown Township Arts Council (STAC) is reflecting on climate change and the environment through an extended series of exhibits at the Mills Pond Gallery in St. James that began this past fall. Their next exhibit, Long Island Landscapes: From Awe to Action, invites viewers to appreciate the beauty of this area while considering what they might do to preserve it. The show opens Feb. 5.

“I like to do a local, landscape-based exhibit each year, and I wanted to see if there was a way to connect it to the theme of climate change,” said Allison Cruz, executive director at the Mills Pond Gallery. “Art is a method of communication, a way to help people see things and make connections in new ways. We can read the newspaper or watch the news to see that the ice caps are melting and the world is heating up, but to see these artistic expressions of our area makes you realize we might not have them forever.”

The exhibit features 60 works from 53 Long Island artists. A variety of styles and mediums will be on display, including acrylic, watercolor, oil, graphite and charcoal.

Each artist also took time to reflect on what the natural world and environmental conservation means to them.

Anita Simmons of Commack finds her inspiration while going for a drive, walking through area parks or spending the day at the beach. A retired accountant and the daughter of an avid gardener, Simmons grew up next to sprawling fields of corn and potatoes — crops that are no longer as common on Long Island.

“My paintings are an emotional response to what can be seen in the natural landscape of Long Island, which I have enjoyed all my life,” she said. “My dad would plant morning glories that grew up our chimney every year, and I have always loved them. When I saw the morning glories at Schneider Farm in Melville, I just had to photograph them to paint later.”

Ellen Ferrigno often paints scenes very close to her home in Port Jefferson. Protecting the environment has been a part of her life for many years, and she eventually became a Cornell Cooperative Master Gardener to increase her own understanding and educate others about the natural world.

“What supports nature’s environment is a community as well as individual efforts. Therefore, I paint these scenes as reminders of what nature’s beauty is,” she explained. “During the early part of the pandemic, I researched and painted the plants in my gardens that attract beneficial insects, provide a soothing tea or feed the birds. I often included a narrative to educate the art viewers. I also found myself increasing my gardens, putting out feeders for the birds and attracting the bees.”

Cruz and STAC have partnered with a number of local environmental organizations to provide information, literature and ways for visitors to support their cause. They include The Nature Conservancy, Defend H2O, Save the Sound, The Sierra Club, Higher Ground, The Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, the Seatuck Environmental Association, Save the Great South Bay, Long Island Water, and Group for the East End.

“We have so many wonderful locally-focused groups that work hard every day to protect and preserve our environment here,” said Cruz. “This isn’t just about appreciating beautiful art — we also want to bring attention to all the good these groups are doing and encourage visitors to get involved.” 

Along with Simmons and Ferrigno, artists participating in this exhibit include Marsha Abrams, Lucia Alberti, Tina Anthony, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Claudia Bedell, Sheila Breck, Joyce Bressler, Renee Caine, Carol Ceraso, Patricia Cisek, Tobi Cohen, Donna Corvi, Lou Deutsch, Julie Doczi, Karin Dutra, Dorothy Fortuna, Donna Gabusi, Vivian Gattuso, Jan Guarino, Regina Halliday, David Herman, Wendy Hildreth-Spence, Gia Horton Schifano, John Hunt, Lynn Kinsella, Liz Kolligs, Lynn Liebert, E Craig Marcin, Avrel Menkes, Annette Napolitano, Catherine Rezin, Robert Roehrig, Oscar Santiago, Hillary Serota Needle, Gisela Skoglund, Lynn Staiano, Madeline Stare, Angela Stratton, John Taylor, Tracy Tekverk, Christine Tudor, Nicholas Valentino, Daniel van Benthuysen, Mary Ann Vetter, Mary Waka, Robert Wallkam, Patty Yantz, and Theodora Zavala.

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Long Island Landscapes: From Awe to Action is on view at the Mill Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, Saint James from Feb. 5 through Feb. 26 Proof of vaccination and masks are required to visit. Meet the artists at an opening reception at the gallery on Feb. 5 from noon to 4 p.m. For more information about the exhibit and what you can do to protect the environment, call 631- 862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

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'Prospect Park Red Oak After Sandy' by Kathy Levine
'Homaridae' by Pam Brown
'Rift' by Kathy Levine
'There's No Place Like Home' by Pam Brown
'Willow Weep for Me' by Kathy Levine

By Melissa Arnold

As global temperatures continue to climb, we are unfortunately subject to more natural disasters, lack of resources, and personal discomfort. It’s a harsh reality, but it can be hard for some people to grasp.

The Smithtown Township Arts Council (STAC) is tackling the issue of climate change with a dynamic and colorful exhibit called “On the Edge” at the Mills Pond Gallery in Saint James.

Beginning Nov. 6 and running through Dec. 19, “On the Edge” will feature more than 50 works from environmental artists Pam Brown and Kathy Levine. The exhibit is part of a deeper exploration of environmental concerns through the lens of art. 

“For a while now I’ve been wanting to dedicate a year to the issue of climate change and what can be done about it. We read about it and are touched by it every day, but I thought we could explore this issue through art and the beauty of our natural world,” said Allison Cruz, executive director of STAC.

Cruz met Stony Brook-based artist Pam Brown years ago through the local art community, and since then, Brown has served as a juror for several STAC exhibits. Prior to the pandemic, Brown suggested she could put together an environmental-themed exhibit with Levine, her longtime friend and colleague from New York City. 

“Pam’s environmental work makes me think, and it touches my heart. I love the choices she makes,” Cruz said. “I was so excited to see this idea take shape and to meet Kathy. When I saw [Kathy’s] passion for connecting people to the environment and the way she salvages material to create beautiful art, I was hooked.” 

Brown, who focuses on sculpture, said that she spent much of her childhood exploring the woods around her home.

“The environment has always been a topic of interest for me, and art is a barometer for what is happening in the world,” she said. “It’s hard not to be connected to the environment, and it’s a tragedy to see the loss of beauty.”

Brown works with salvaged material that she says has its own story to tell. Everything is made of sheet metal or sheet copper, then hand cut with scissors or shears, stitched, soldered and welded together.

One of her works included in the exhibit is “A Place Called Home,” which depicts a bird inside of a hanging basket on a branch. 

“The bird is calling out, looking for a new place to call home. In the same way, populations around the world are being forced to relocate because of climate changes and disasters in their places of origin,” Brown explained.

Levine is originally from Queens, but had the unique opportunity to grow up in Spain and England, where she was constantly immersed in natural beauty.

At the same time, she was impacted by the energy crisis of the 1970s. Her electricity was cut in the evenings, leaving her to do homework by candlelight.

“I saw the way humans were able to work in harmony with the natural world and have the potential to make it even better,” she recalled, “But I also began to learn just how fragile our connection to the natural world can be, and that our impact can be positive or negative.”

Levine is a mixed media artist, including painting, photography and recycled materials in her work, to name a few. She also makes recycled paper casts of natural objects including leaves and bark, and uses a water-based method of photo transfer. 

One of Levine’s pieces, “Rift,” is a cast paper cross-section of a tree that’s split in half. One half depicts the urban sights of New York, while the other side shows a woodsy and natural scene.

“This kind of work fascinates me. It’s the one thing I feel like I could never get tired of,” Levine said. “It’s inexpensive and tactile, flexible and light, as opposed to other methods of sculpture.” 

While the exhibit will showcase the beauty of our world, Cruz, Brown and Levine all hope that it will inspire viewers to become more active in preventing climate change.

“It can be overwhelming to consider just how large the issue of climate change is, but it’s small changes in your own family that make a big difference, like recycling, composting and using reusable materials as much as possible,” Brown said. 

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The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, Saint James will present “On the Edge” from Nov. 6 through Dec. 19. The public is invited to an opening reception on Nov. 6 from 2 to 5 p.m. Meet the artists and enjoy an Art Talk presented by the Artists and Environmental Art Activists at 3 pm. Masks are required for unvaccinated individuals and optional for those who are vaccinated. 

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. Please use the rear parking lot off of Mills Pond Road. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

See more images at www.tbrnewsmedia.com

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'Luke with Blocks' by Peter Leeds
'Unfazed' by Ravinda Rana
'Lunichka' by Ivan Pazlamatchev
'The Golden Sycamore' by Cliff Miller
'Beekeeper Portrait Project Nick' by Charis J. Carmichael Braun

Resurgence: A rising again into life, activity, or prominence.

— Merriam-Webster

When the Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery opens its doors this Saturday, it will introduce Resurgence, a fine art exhibition featuring fifty works by twenty-five contemporary realist artists selected by curator Thomas Legaspi. The stunning show will run through Oct. 23.

The exhibit features a cross section of representational artists from the New York  Metropolitan area, including Long Island, and Pennsylvania and a few artists whose ties to New York continue to be strong even after their art careers have relocated them after their amazing New York educational experiences.

“The artists have had to evolve and react to the changes happening in this pandemic society,” said Allison Cruz, Executive Director of the Mills Pond Gallery. “From cancelled brick and mortar exhibitions, closing of cultural institutions, concerns about the future to zoom teaching, virtual exhibitions and more. For some, working alone has sharpened their creative focus … for others, the absence of physical human connection has forced them to seek new sources of inspiration.” 

“We are thrilled to celebrate the strength of Realism as an art form and provide a forum for our public audiences to experience the moving and original ways artists depict the world around them,” she said.

Curator Thomas Legaspi has juried shows for Dacia Gallery and an Art Collective New York Realism. A New York based, contemporary realist artist with an MFA from The New York Academy of Art, he has exhibited nationally and internationally for the past 20 years. In that time, he has also worked as an Adjunct Professor of Art for St. John’s University and City College of Technology as well as in the historic Educational Alliance Art School in the Lower East Side. 

“With a hopeful gaze, Resurgence aims to highlight what these contemporary realist artists are creating in this return to creative activity,” said Legaspi.

Exhibiting artist include Susan Cottle Alberto, Steven Assael, Ross Barbera, James Xavier Barbour, Charis J Carmichael Braun, Julia Chen, Jon deMartin, Stephanie Deshpande, Elizabeth Diaz, William Dodge, Christian Fagerlund, Mojca Fatur, Kelly Foss, Kyle Keith, Sara Keith, Scott Lawson, Lisa Lebofsky, Peter Leeds, Cliff Miller, Kseniya Ostrovska, Ivan Pazlamatchev, Ravindra Rana, William D. Reed, Doug Reina and Zimou Tan.

The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James presents Resurgence from Sept. 25 to Oct. 23. The community is invited to an artist reception on Sept. 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. Proof of vaccination and masks are required.

Gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org.

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'Feeling Blue,' acrylic, by Cheryl Cass-Zampiva Image courtesy of Mills Pond Gallery

Smithtown Township Arts Council’s Mills Pond Gallery highlights the talents of 67 of its artist members with its annual Member Artist Showcase exhibit of original fine art for sale from June 19 through July 18. Exhibiting artists hail from 40 communities across Long Island as well as New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina and Florida.

A wide variety of media is represented including acrylic, digital art, ink etching, mixed media, oil, pastel, photography, plaster & found objects, silk dyes on silk, solar plate etching, torn paper collage, and watercolor.

‘Christmas Cactus’
Photograph
By Kathee Shaff Kelson, Stony Brook
Image courtesy of Mills Pond Gallery

“The Member Artist Showcase is an important show to me. We have such an abundance of talent in our membership,” said Allison Cruz, Executive Director of the Mills Pond Gallery. “I love to give artists the opportunity to choose a piece of their work to exhibit. I know artists are usually under many constraints of Juried Exhibits due to requirements of style or medium or size. It is great to give them an opportunity to show something that maybe they haven’t had the opportunity to exhibit due to those constraints or maybe something they have created using a new medium or style. I am always excited to see what they enter!”  

This year’s juror is freelance art consultant and curator Pam J. Brown, the Director and Curator of The Anthony Giordano Gallery at Dowling College for 16 years. Brown will choose four winning artists to participate in a future Winners Exhibit at the gallery.

Participating artists include Marsha Abrams, Lucia Alberti, Tina Anthony, Ross Barbera, Shain Bard, Ron Becker, Renee Blank, Kyle Blumenthal, Joyce Bressler, Alberto Jorge Carol, Cheryl Cass-Zampiva, Linda Ann Catucci, Carol Ceraso, Rocco Citeno, Donna Corvi, Teresa Cromwell, Tania Degen, Julie Doczi, Beth Drucker, JoAnne Dumas, Karin Dutra, Paul Edelson, Ellen Ferrigno, Donna Gabusi, Vivian Gattuso, Maureen Ginipro, Jan Guarino, Margaret Henning, David Herman, David Jaycox, Jr., Modern Fossils: Judith Marchand & David P. Horowitz, James Kelson, Kathee Shaff Kelson, Myungja Anna Koh, Susan Kozodoy Silkowitz, Ann Legere, Frank Loehr, Terence McManus, Paul Mele, Margaret Minardi, Karen George Mortimore, Annette Napolitano, Diane Oliva, Catherine Rezin, Robin Roberts, Robert Roehrig, Lori Scarlatos, Gia Schifano, Anita G. Schnirman, Joan Schwartzman, Kenneth Schwartzman, Hillary Serota Needle, Faith Skelos, Gisela Skoglund, Mike Stanko, Madeline Stare, John Taylor, Tracy Tekverk, Oxana Uryasev, Nicholas Valentino, Daniel van Benthuysen, Mary Ann Vetter, Pamela Waldroup, Don Weber, M. Ellen Winter, Patty Yantz, and Theodora Zavala.

“This show is about celebrating the talents of our artist members and I feel it does just that,” said Cruz.

The Mills Pond Gallery, 660 Route 25A, St. James presents its Member Artist Showcase from June 19 to July 18. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, June 19 from noon to 2 p.m. or 2 to 4 p.m. (reservations are required) to meet the exhibiting artists and view their work. Admission to the gallery is always free. The gallery is open Wednesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Mondays and  Tuesdays and July 3 and 4. Please call 631-862-6575 or visit www.millspondgallery.org for more information.

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'Low Tide'
'Middle Grounds Lighthouse'
'Setauket Mill'
'Still Afloat'
'The Gamecock Cottage'
'Winter View from Frank Melville Park'
'Chillin'
'Setauket Snow'
'South Shore Sunset'

By Irene Ruddock

Artist Robert Roehrig

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 different  technique 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.

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