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.
'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.
Artist Laura DiLeone at last year's Wet Paint Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
*See schedule of events for both days at end of article
By Julianne Mosher
It all started as an event to remember a local painter, but now, 19 years later, it’s bringing new artists to light.
Since 2004 Gallery North’s annual Wet Paint Festival has invited artists from across Long Island to set up shop at a different location to paint the landscape in real time. This year’s festival, on June 17 and 18, will be held at Old Field Farm in Setauket.
Open and free to the public, the Wet Paint Festival will have something for everyone. Located at 92 West Meadow Road, Old Field Farm is a historical Long Island show grounds with a long equestrian tradition. According to its website, the farm was built by philanthropist Ward Melville as the North Shore Horse Show Grounds in 1931. For over half a century it attracted thousands of riders and spectators to equestrian competitions, many of which were successful charitable fundraisers.
Artist Angela Stratton at a previous Wet Paint Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North
The farm was privately owned until 1986 and was then acquired by Suffolk County to prevent commercial sale of the property or possible subdivision and development as it stood vacant and began to deteriorate. The site added that during this time, the county initiated a search to identify an appropriate entity to take on an extensive restoration required and manage Old Field Farm and return this prized local institution to its rightful place in the community.
Now several decades later, Gallery North chose their annual two-day event to take place at this scenic location. According to Executive Director Ned Puchner, they are expecting at least 50 artists to come by, set up shop and paint plein air.
“The festival is always in a new location and gives local artists the opportunity to not only paint the local scenery, but meet the public,” he said. “It’s also a great way for artists who are new to painting to try it out.”
The festival started out as a tribute to local painter Joseph Reboli who was popularly known for his beautifully crafted landscapes that often depicted local area. His widow, Lois, helped create the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook. As president of the center, she has been involved with the Wet Paint Festival since its inception.
“Joe was a modest guy,” she said. “He painted because he loved this community; I’m sure he would be extremely honored.”
As the artists paint the different scenes at Old Field Farm, whatever is created during those days will then be on display at the Reboli Center in an exhibition from July 5 to August 27. An opening reception will be held at the Center on July 21 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of it again and have the opportunity to be involved with the community,” added Reboli. “This is what we’re all about.”
While the main purpose is watching artists (coming from as far west as Port Washington to eastern Wading River), there are other events that day that will fancy people of all ages. Guides from the historic farm will be on site to provide tours of the Old Field Farm structures and grounds, and provide information on equestrian history and culture.
Local naturalists from the Four Harbors Audubon Society will lead tours on the rich ecology and wildlife of the surrounding area, regional artists will lead guided tours on plein air painting, and there will be children’s activities as well.
Sponsored by bld Architecture, Jefferson’s Ferry and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning, Gallery North will also team up with WUSB 90.1 fm/107.3 fm Stony Brook to present live musical performances each day. LevelUp Kitchen, based in St. James, will also be on site to purchase picnic lunches before the event.
“Every year the festival has been growing,” Puchner said. “Three years ago there were about 30 artists who signed up, now it’s a little over 50.” He added that last year was the first time they added tours and music, which was a huge success.
“We’re really happy about how it’s been developing,” he said. “There is a vibrant creative community made up of artists, musicians, actors and the like that live in the area and this is a great opportunity to come out, go to a free event and meet the creative community in action.”
Selden-based artist Angela Stratton is excited to be returning to the event she has been attending for 17 years.
“As an artist, I love being outside in nature,” she said. “Long Island is beautiful and there are so many places to paint, so I want to go out and paint it!”
The Wet Paint Festival will be held on June 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.(Rain dates are June 24 and 25). For more information about the festival or to register to paint, visit www.gallerynorth.org or call 631-751-2676.
Wet Paint Festival Schedule:
Saturday, June 17
10 a.m. – Nature Walk with the Four Harbors Audubon Society
11:30 a.m. – Meet local wildlife, courtesy of Sweetbriar Nature Center
12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Live music by Tom Killourhy
1:30 p.m. – Plein Air Art Tour with artist Jim Molloy
Sunday, June 18
10 a.m. – Nature Walk with the Four Harbors Audubon Society
11:30 a.m – History Tour with Margo Arceri of Tri-Spy Tours
12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. – Live music by the Keenan Zach Trio
1:30 p.m. – Plein Air Art Tour with artist Nancy Bueti-Randall
'Thirteen Moons: Nature Adapts and Transforms' by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
By Tara Mae
Nature’s beauty is at once defiantly delicate and stubbornly resilient. Elements Adrift, on view at Gallery North from Jan. 12 to Feb. 19, considers the alchemy and artistry of the natural world as expressed through Long Island artist Anne Seelbach’s oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings as well as mixed media pieces.
Seelbach’s first solo show at Gallery North, it consists of approximately 35 works from three different series that organically ripple outward, encompassing the serenity of the sea and the perniciously predatory impact of pollution. Elements Adrift explores the inspiration found in the environment and the toxicity inherent in careless encounters with it.
‘Thirteen Moons: Nature Adapts and Transforms’ by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
“Seelbach’s figural abstraction reflects her fascination and love of nature and interest in pointing to those elements that are polluting and deprecating it. In the past, she has tried to bring attention to that through her work,” said Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner.
Put together, each individual series transforms from island unto itself to an archipelago of artistic expression, chronicling Seelbach’s relationship with the world around her and transitioning the audience from one sequence into another.
“Some pieces are really fascinating in that they show [Seelbach] moving on…you see her moving from one series into another, and I think that is really where the excitement in her work lies. She goes from series to series and in each series, she will sort of dwell on a topic and then move on, finding new avenues to build off of,” Puchner said.
The first collection, “Troubled Waters,” follows the ebbing of natural resources as pollution flows into and interferes with sensitive ecosystems. Drawn to the seascapes of Peconic Bay off Long Beach in Sag Harbor and the Napeague Harbor at Lazy Point Beach in Amagansett, Seelbach’s work evolves to encapsulate the devolution of marine life as the disruption and detritus of humankind menaces it.
“Instead of painting traditional landscapes, I always ask the question, ‘What is happening?’ in nature, rather than painting a beautiful view,” Seelbach said. “The landscape and seascape are created by forces of nature, the change of seasons, with the rotation of the earth. This is what I try to get at.”
Dance into the Unknown, 2014, oil on canvas, 30″ x 30″ by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
The vague abstraction of her fish renderings in this series came from fact, as the pollutants were actually getting into aquatic animal reproductive systems and causing deformities.
“When I started the series the fish were more realistic. I had to find a way to represent the effects of the chemicals. So, I stylized the fish form and duplicated it to create stencils of schools of fish,” she explained.
Seelbach’s fish and other animal stencils are frequently made from repurposed and up-cycled washed up or left behind bits of metal, plastic, and netting from which she rescues the shoreline.
While nature may have been shifting and changing around her, with rightful residents being harmed by invasive interlopers, Seelbach’s relationship with it remains steadfast and symbiotic, as reflected in her “Moon Paintings” series.
These works, conjured from summer trips to Monhegan Island, Maine, illuminate the serenity she found walking along the sea cliffs, gazing at the lunar lit waters below.
“I am still interested in the edge, where land, water, and sky meet…The moon shining on the sea and in tidal pools inspired these paintings,” Seelbach said. “As the sun nurtures the growth of everything by day, I suggest that the moon nurtures creative thought, ideas and possibility at night. I get most of my ideas at night when my mind is drifting, without a particular thought.”
Primarily painted on paper rather than on canvas, the “Moon Paintings” are imbued with deep blues and other hues that convey the depth of the setting’s nighttime repose. Yet, in these works, the moon is both a light and power source, rejuvenating sea, sky, and artist.
In fact “Earth: The Elements,” the third series to be highlighted in the exhibit, was a concept that came to Seelbach as she sat on the cliffside rocks and boulders.
Earth: mercury (Vermillion), 2020, acrylic and reflective paint on linen, 30″x36″, relates to the planet Mercury by Anne Seelbach. Image courtesy of Gallery North
“They made me ask ‘What is the Earth?’ And immediately I thought of the elements. Thinking about each individual element, what it was and a bit of its history, I realized that many were acknowledged thousands of years ago, by the scientists of that time, the alchemists and philosophers,” Seelbach said.
Breaking down these otherwise immovable objects into their most basic essence, Seelbach sought to honor the individuals of the past who had understood better than to take them at face value. So, within some of these paintings, she includes the alchemical symbol of the historical elements and the periodic table designation.
Each element Seelbach selects is thoroughly, albeit abstractly, examined and expressed. Similar to the other two series, “Elements” inner complexity and vitality is amplified by Seelbach’s color palette and painting style. Rich, earthy tones and texture add dimension and definition to the paintings.
“I was really drawn to the raw energy of them, dark and muddy in certain places,” Puchner said. “In all of her art, there is a kind of an endless search for beauty in nature. Even in the study of the earth’s elements, at root is her trying to explore the minerals and elements that exist within the nature that she brings into her artwork.”
Seelbach’s art is an outlet for her observations, an investigation of the inquiries raised by striving to be attuned to the world around her. At its core, her art seeks to explore and observe rather than obfuscate.
“I paint what is. I see landscape as formed by the forces of nature, the seasons, the rotation of the planet. The question I ask sitting on the beach or a rock is ‘What is happening?’ What are the forces of nature that underly what I am looking at?” she said.
Patrons are invited to make their own discoveries about nature through Elements Adrift. An opening reception will be held tonight, Jan. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. As a complement to the exhibition, Gallery North will present a lecture on the marine ecology of New York’s waterways by Patricia Woodruff from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University on Jan. 20 at 6 pm. Gallery North will also host an ArTalk with Anne Seelbach on Feb. 4 at 3 p.m.
Located at 90 North Country Road, Setauket, Gallery North is open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www. gallerynorth.org.
Pictured from left, Tasha Boehm, Lois Reboli, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Ned Puchner, and Alex Badalamenti Photo from Assemblyman Engelebright's office
New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright recently presented the Reboli Center for Art and History in Stony Brook and Gallery North in Setauket with grant funding obtained through the New York State Assembly Community Capital Assistance Program.
Pictured from left, Tasha Boehm, Lois Reboli, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Ned Puchner, and Alex Badalamenti. Photo from Assemblyman Engelebright’s office
Through the efforts of Assemblyman Englebright and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, these two cultural art centers will each receive $150,000 from this funding program to support their organization’s infrastructure improvement projects.
“I am proud to have nominated both Gallery North and the Reboli Center to receive these grant funds,” said Assemblyman Englebright. “Investment into our cultural art centers is essential to cultivating a deeper sense of place and setting our community apart — attracting people to its uniqueness. Artwork helps express a community’s values and creates an elevated sense of awareness for community members and visitors. I would like to thank both organizations for their tremendous work uplifting local artists and empowering our community through art and creativity.”
The two organizations plan to utilize their respective grant funding to maintain, improve and expand their buildings’ public viewing space and areas where educational programing and the actual creation of art occur. The competition of these projects will provide an enhanced experience for families, children and community residents.
As staples in the community, the Reboli Center and Gallery North host many arts-centered events and programs throughout the year that are available for the public to attend. For more information about these organizations and to learn about upcoming events, visit www.gallerynorth.org and www.rebolicenter.org.
Photographer John Deng, left, pictured with Gallery North's Executive Director Ned Puchner, won this year's Best in Show award. Photo by Kate Schwarting/Gallery North
Ned Puchner with Cassandra Voulo
Myungja Koh with Ned Puchner
Gail Neuman with Ned Puchner
Jessamyn Go with Ned Puchner
Ned Puchner with John DiNaro
Holly Hunt with Ned Puchner
Ned Puchner with Mary Jane van Zeijts
Justin Cavagnaro with Ned Puchner
Diana Parrington with Ned Puchner
Toni Neuschäfer with Ned Puchner
Karen Kemp with Ned Puchner
Ned Puchner with Diane Bard
Gallery North in Setauket hosted its 56th annual Outdoor Art Show & Music Festival on Sept. 17 and 18.
The two-day event, which attracted over 5,500 visitors, showcased the works of 106 juried exhibitors offering original paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, pottery, woodwork, glassware, artisan created jewelry, handmade crafts, decorations and clothing .
Juried by Marianne Della Croce, Executive Director of the Art League of Long Island; Lorena Salcedo-Watson, Lecturer and Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Art at Stony Brook University; and contemporary artist Tom Brydelsky, awards were granted for each art category, including wood craft, fiber art, glass art, jewelry design, paiting in oil and acrylic, ceramis and pottery, graphic and drawing, watercolor and pastel and photography along with Best in Show and Honorable Mentions.
Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner had the honor of presenting the awards. The winning artists will be featured in Gallery North’s Winners Circle Exhibition in 2023.
And the awards go to:
Best in Show: John Deng
Outstanding Wood Craft: John DiNaro
Outstanding Fiber Art: Diana Parrington
Outstanding Glass Art: Justin Cavagnaro
Outstanding Jewelry Design: Gail Neuman
Outstanding Painting in Oil and Acrylic: Mary Jane van Zeijts
Outstanding Ceramics and Pottery: Jessamyn Go
Outstanding Work on Paper – Graphic and Drawing: Cassandra Voulo
Outstanding Work on Paper – Watercolor and Pastel: Myungja Koh
Outstanding Photography: Holly Hunt
Honorable Mentions: Karen Kemp, Diane Bard and Toni Neuschaefer
Bold colors, rich compositions, lush imagery. Gallery North invites individuals to immerse themselves in the resplendent renderings and impactful art by late contemporary artist Stan Brodsky with Recastings: Stan Brodsky, a memorial retrospective on view from Aug. 11 to Sept. 18. An opening reception will be held on Aug. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m.
“Stan is a very influential artist to many artists practicing right now in our area. We felt it was important to show his work, keep it being viewed by the public and continuing to influence other artists. He has a great collection of work that is still available. The work itself is timeless and it’s important for it to be out there,” said Curator Kate Schwarting.
‘Edge of Summer’ by Stan Brodsky
Brodsky, who died in 2019 at the age of 94, was an artist and educator based out of Huntington. Recastings, the third solo exhibit at Gallery North of the artist’s work, is a cultivated exploration of Brodsky’s more abstract art.
Through his 75 year career, Brodsky created both representational and abstract art. The 1960s and 1970s were mainly periods of representational art, but by the 1980s, Brodsky was incorporating different texture, tones, and styles — developing the abstract techniques he would continue to cultivate for the next 40 years.
Recastings primarily highlights the pieces he created during this era. The exhibit includes approximately 15 oil on canvas paintings of various sizes as well as large framed works on paper, unframed works on paper, oil on paper, and mixed media pieces, reflecting three hallmarks of his career: a powerful command of color, a profound connection to nature, and the support he provided to other artists.
Color is a dynamic and defining character in Brodsky’s art, recognized by each individual interviewed for this article, while nature is a recurrent catalyst and muse.
“Stan Brodsky was renowned for his use of color. One critic called his colors ‘unnameable.’ The paintings change with the light, and so provide endless fascination,” Jeanne Hewitt, Brodsky’s widow and Trustee of the Stan Brodsky Trust, said.
‘Sun and Soil’ by Stan Brodsky
The artist’s distinct use of color showcases the power of his brushstrokes and indicates the impression of the natural world on his work. According to Schwarting, these traits allow a larger audience to relate to Brodsky’s art and are part of what drew her and Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner to the art that they chose to display.
“There are all different ways to connect with [Brodsky’s] work His use of color is really incredible —the color just vibrates, it is so vibrant and electric; his inspiration from nature; and his mark making is exquisite. There are so many details in his pieces, the push and pull, the layering, each one is very complex,” Schwarting said.
The exhibit is the continuation of a nearly 50 year relationship between Brodsky/his estate and Gallery North. Brodsky exhibited his work nationally and internationally but always maintained and nurtured his ties to the local artistic community of Long Island, including acting as teacher and mentor to many working artists in the area.
“He encouraged and taught other artists up until a few months before his death…Stan was beloved for the encouragement he offered to other artists, and for the help he offered,” Hewitt said.
Delving into Brodsky’s imprint on artists, “Stan Clan: Discussion on Brodsky’s Influence,” a panel talk with six of Brodsky’s former students reflecting on how he affected their creative development, will be held on Aug. 31 at 6 p.m.
When asked about this event, Puchner said he was most looking forward to the stories about Brodsky and his philosophy.
“It seems like he was such a charismatic, emotional person. When watching some of the videos of his previous talks, you see he was not afraid to talk about things like love and the more heightened emotional aspects of the creative process. What elements of his creative process have been picked up by the next generation of his students? How that was imparted to his students and how they and whether they continue to do that themselves will be really interesting,” he added.
Artist Doug Reina, who recently had a solo exhibit at Gallery North and will be one of the guests at the panel discussion, views Brodsky’s roles as artist and educator to be lasting gifts. “For those who know and appreciate his work, Stan Brodsky will always be remembered as a great painter who combined gorgeous colors, shapes, and compositions in a truly unique way,” he said. “For those lucky to have been his students, he will be remembered for his deep knowledge of painting that he always shared so generously. Perhaps the most important part of his legacy is how he helped so many artists grow, to take chances, to push beyond their limits.”
Reina will be joined at the discussion by fellow artists Susan Rostan, Peter Galasso, Marceil Kazickas, Ellen Hallie Schiff, and Alicia R. Peterson, each of whom studied and/or worked with Brodsky.
As a complement to the exhibit, on August 24 at 6 p.m., Art of NYC and Long Island, in conjunction with Brodsky’s estate, will provide a presentation at the gallery about art conservation techniques: identifying and treating condition issues in paintings, works on paper, and also sculptures. The exhibit, panel discussion, reception, and presentation are free and open to the public. A photo catalogue with a short essay about Brodsky and his art will be available to visitors.
Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket, is open Wednesdays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m. Recastings: Stan Brodsky is sponsored by Nancy Goroff, Jefferson’s Ferry, bid Architecture, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
Over 50 local and regional artists featured in group exhibition
Gallery North celebrates the beginning of summer with a new group exhibit, Inside/Out, featuring the artwork that has emerged from Gallery North programs including the recent Wet Paint Festival and workshops at The Studio at Gallery North. The exhibition will be on view from July 7 to August 7. The community is invited to an opening reception will be held on July 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.
‘Shibori Quilt’ by Andrea Baatz
The Wet Paint Festival and workshops at The Studio at Gallery North both serve as creative catalysts for artists, encouraging experimentation, and engaging with and supporting an inclusive, multigenerational artist community. These programs take place both inside the gallery’s Studio space as well as at locations in the broader community, and they often reflect the impact of the ecological, historical and cultural composition of the region on local artists. Whether the subject of the composition or the natural materials used in its creation, nature plays a role in many of the works in Inside/Out.
Inside/Out includes artists Marceil Kazickas, Nancy Bueti-Randall along with over 50 local and regional plein air artists who participated in the 18th annual Wet Paint Festival at the Sherwood Jayne Farm in Setauket. Artists representing the studio programs include John Benevento, Andrea Baatz and more than 20 other local artists working in a wide range of techniques and media, such as shibori dyed textiles, encaustic and intaglio prints.
As a complement to the exhibition, Joy Cirigliano of Four Harbors Audubon Society will present The Importance of Biodiversity in the Urban Forest on July 16 at 6 p.m..
This exhibition is generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry, bld Architecture, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning. The exhibition, reception and lecture will be free and open to the public.
Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.
This year's Wet Paint Festival will be held at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm in East Setauket.
Photo courtesy of Preservation Long Island
By Melissa Arnold
Since 2004, Gallery North’s annual Wet Paint Festival has invited artists from far and wide to revel in nature’s beauty. For a week or a weekend, artists enjoy each other’s company and a healthy dose of plein air painting — the tricky, constantly changing art of working outdoors.
This year’s festival, scheduled for June 4 and 5, will be held at the historic and picturesque Sherwood-Jayne Farm on Old Post Road in East Setauket and seeks to build upon past events where visitors can watch the artists work and ask questions about their creative process. There will also be the opportunity to tour the Sherwood-Jayne House, go bird watching, enjoy live music and more.
An artist paints plein air at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm. Photo from Preservation Long Island
“The landscape of the show has changed in a variety of ways over the years, not just in location but in the way it’s structured,” said Ned Puchner, executive director of Gallery North. “During the pandemic, people could paint remotely for a two-week period. Last year, we had a few different locations to choose from. This year, we’re returning to the traditional style of having a specific site where everyone will come together and paint for a weekend, with some additional activities for the public to enjoy.”
The Sherwood-Jayne Farm was originally slated to host the Wet Paint Festival in 2020, and planning for the event was nearly complete when the pandemic shut things down.
“Gallery North reached out to us a few years ago looking to change up the festival from the way it was done in the past,” said Elizabeth Abrams, Assistant Director of Operations and Programs for Preservation Long Island, which cares for the property. “We used to team up with the gallery for an apple festival, and considering we are just down the street from each other, it was natural for us to work together again.”
Preservation Long Island is a multifaceted not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting Long Island’s history and culture. Founded in 1948, their focus is on education, advocacy, and the stewardship of historic buildings and artifacts.
Abrams explained that the Sherwood-Jayne House was built in 1730 as an early colonial, lean-to salt box dwelling. The house and surrounding farmland were cared for by the Jayne family for more than 150 years. In 1908, it was acquired by the founder of Preservation Long Island, Howard Sherwood, who lived in the home and displayed a variety of antiques there.
Throughout the weekend, the Sherwood-Jayne House will be open for tours with Preservation Long Island curator Lauren Brincat. Keep an eye out for the Tallmadge wall panels, and the incredibly beautiful wall mural in the parlor that’s meant to look like wallpaper — they are very rare to see, especially on Long Island, Abrams added.
“The house contains a large portion of Howard Sherwood’s personal antique collection and other bits of history from colonial Long Island. This area had a foundational role in American history — exploring the house and its collections are a unique way to learn more about that important time period,” she said.
There will be plenty of outdoor inspiration for the artists at the festival as well. The property is also home to a variety of outbuildings and trails, gorgeous old-growth walnut trees, an apple orchard, and all kinds of wildlife.
The Four Harbors Audubon Society will lead tours exploring the wildlife and ecology of the area, with a particular focus on local birds. If the barn is open, you might be lucky enough to meet some goats, a few sheep, or an old, sweet white horse named Snowball.
Visitors are free to wander the grounds at their leisure, watch the artists work or ask questions, Puchner said. For those who are feeling shy or not sure what to ask, an artist will offer a guided tour and lead discussions once each day.
“The whole objective of the Wet Paint Festival is to help people understand what goes into the process of creating a painting, and to meet local artists. It’s a great way for someone who has no artistic experience to learn how it all works,” Puchner said.
Nancy Bueti-Randall, pictured in her studio, will join over 40 other artists at this year’s Gallery North Wet Paint Festival. Photo by Heidi Sutton/TBR News Media
Over 40 artists will be participating this weekend including Nancy Bueti-Randall of Stony Brook who began to paint outdoors as a way to recharge while raising her three children. She’s spent more than 20 years creating and showing her work, which runs the gamut from pictorial to abstract, figures and landscapes. Most of the time, though, she’s painting in her garden or other familiar surroundings.
Sometimes, she’ll start a painting with the idea to focus on one thing, but something else in a landscape will catch her eye instead.
“There are a lot of challenges with plein air painting. It’s very fleeting — a landscape is always changing, even from day to day,” Bueti-Randall explained. “You have to be fast and responsive to what’s going on around you. It’s about becoming engaged with the thing you’re painting. I can get overwhelmed by beauty, and I try to capture the essence of what I’m seeing in a process of give and take.”
Marceil Kazickas of Sands Point considers herself an artistic late bloomer. She started drawing and painting to cope with a health crisis, and found that when she was being creative, she wasn’t in pain. Kazickas prefers to work in oil, which she loves for its luscious, sensual properties.
“When you go outside, there’s an overwhelming amount of information to take in — the views are always changing, the clock is running, and you want to get your design done quickly because the light and shadows are constantly evolving,” she explained.
“I’m not as focused on painting exactly what I see … People can get caught up in producing a finished, frameable piece of art, but for me it’s exciting to be outside and come up with whatever I can in the short time I’m out there, even if it’s nothing. It’s about the painting process.”
Puchner hopes that the variety of activities, including a scavenger hunt for kids and live music from the Keenan Paul Zach Trio and Tom Killourhy, will appeal to all kinds of people.
“These new additions will give the public the opportunity to enjoy nature, the arts and history all in one place, and our artists will have a fun new location to experiment and be creative in,” he said.
The 18th Annual Wet Paint Festival will be held June 4 and 5 at the Sherwood-Jayne Farm, 55 Old Post Road, East Setauket from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rain date is June 18 and 19. The event is free and open to the public.
All participating artists will have their festival work on display in an exhibit at Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket, from July 7 through Aug 7. A free opening reception will be held at the gallery from on July 7 from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more information about the festival or to register to paint, visit www.gallerynorth.org or call 631-751-2676. Learn more about Sherwood-Jayne Farm at www.preservationlongisland.org.
