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Ned Puchner

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'Beach Breeze' by Chloe Wang

By Heidi Sutton

The Winner’s Circle. It is a title only associated with the best of the best. And now the best of the best will be showcased at Gallery North’s latest exhibition celebrating the award-winning artists of the 2021 Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival and the 2020 Carmela Kolman Fellowship program. The show opens on May 26 with an artist reception from 6 to 8 p.m.

‘Skyline Sunset’ by William Low

Ned Puchner, Executive Director at Gallery North, is excited to introduce the exhibit. “The Winner’s Circle exhibition is a crucial part of how Gallery North promotes local artists and celebrates the artistic excellence within our region. Each one of these artists possesses an outstanding talent and should be acknowledged for the amazing work they contribute to our creative community,” he said.

The exhibition features over 50 works of art from recipients of the Best in Show award and best in categories including wood craft, fiber art, glass art, jewelry, painting, photography, and pottery from the Festival which took place last September. “Each artist submitted a selection of 10 to 15 examples of their work for our Curator, Kate Schwarting, to consider for our show at Gallery North,” said Puchner.

The 2021 festival judges, including Karen Levitov, Director and Curator of the Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery at the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook University; Lorraine Walsh, Art Director of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics at Stony Brook University; and contemporary artist, Nancy Bueti-Randall evaluated over 90 exhibitors to present the 13 available awards. “They were given a herculean task and did an outstanding job,” said Puchner. 

‘Despair’ by Meagan Flaherty

“Each artist was evaluated for the excellence of their work, as well as how their approach transcended the specifics of their chosen medium to present works that conveyed the artist’s passion for what they do,” he explained.

The Winner’s Circle includes artists Chloe Wang (Best in Show); Scott Hartman (Outstanding Work on Paper-Watercolor); William Low (Outstanding Painting in Oil and Acrylic); Gail Applebaum/Studio 2 Productions (Outstanding Glass Art); Michael Josiah (Outstanding Wood Craft); Bebe Federmann (Outstanding Ceramics and Pottery); Jessica Randall (Outstanding Jewelry); Madison Muehl (Outstanding Photography); Kate Ackerman (Outstanding Fiber Art); Cassandra Voulo, Eric Giles, Marlene Weinstein (Honorable Mentions), and Carmela Kolman Fellow, Meagan Flaherty. 

The Carmela Kolman Fellowship in Fine Art Program recognizes one exceptional artist annually who embodies the character and creativity of Carmela Kolman, an outstanding artist and member of the Gallery North community.

A wood-turned vase by Michael Josiah

“There is a wealth of artistic talent in our Winner’s Circle exhibition,” said Puchner, “from the superb jewelry of Jessica Randall, to the breathtaking pottery of Bebe Federmann and Eric Giles’ fascinating, offbeat sculpture, to Chloe Wang’s jewel-like paintings. Having a reputation as one of Long Island’s longest, continuously-running art festivals, the Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival is really unique for the ways in which it attracts excellent artists across every medium from all over Suffolk and Nassau County. And Gallery North has done the Festival for over 55 years! Please join us for this wonderful exhibition and support your creative community!”

Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road in Setauket. Generously sponsored by Jefferson’s Ferry, bld Architecture, and Suffolk County’s Department of Economic Development and Planning, The Winner’s Circle will be on view from May 26 to July 3 from Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. All works in the exhibition are for sale. 

For more information, please call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

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'The Queen's Burial Chamber 2' by Ellen Hallie Schiff
'Ritual Blue' by Gina Mars
“Driving at Night to Meet Fran for Noodles” by Ellen Hallie Schiff
Ellen Hallie Schiff in her studio
Two person show explores color and chance through sculpture and abstract painting

By Tara Mae

Kicking off 2022, Gallery North explores the beauty born of controlled chaos and how that informs the power, impact, and usage of color through the raku sculptures of Gina Mars of Huntington and the abstract oil paintings of Ellen Hallie Schiff of Glen Cove in an exciting exhibit titled Chroma-Tenacity. The show opens Jan. 13.

Although Mars has a long-standing relationship with Gallery North, it is Schiff’s first exhibition at the gallery, and the pairing provides a unique opportunity for the artists to showcase their work in a way rarely seen, according to Executive Director Ned Puchner. The mixed media display, featuring approximately 53 pieces, was a calculated departure from the gallery’s standard procedure. 

“I am excited to see 3-dimensional work shown at the same time as 2-dimensional work. Often, we segment those things: the former in the gift shop, the latter in the gallery. I love the interplay between 3-D and 2-D; it’s important to me,” he said. 

Despite their different modes of expression, Mars and Schiff’s work shares certain commonalities that are interwoven into overall continuity and themes of Chroma-Tenacity.

“It really has to do with them trying to experiment and stay driven towards the goal of creating something beautiful that contains chaos. The exhaustion that comes with uncertainty runs through how we live right now and also this work,” said Puchner. 

This notion of tranquility in turbulence and meaning in mayhem are continuous themes of Mars and Schiff’s art, from concept to creation, reflected in the process and the final product.

“Control and chance are elements in both of their work. Both artists focus on the importance of color, attention to detail, and creating refined pieces. Gina’s sculptures focus on understanding the chemistry that exists within the glazes and surface texture, yet allowing them to have this spontaneous reaction. Ellen’s work involves destroying things to build them back up,” said curator Kate Schwarting.

Mars primarily works in raku, a sculptural style that involves rapidly firing pottery or sculpture. Her decorative and functional pottery is removed from the kiln at 2000 degrees and put in a covered container with combustibles (Mars likes to use pine needles and newspaper). The smoke interacts with the glaze and creates all different colors. 

Mars makes her own glazes, either color or crackle, which is a white glaze that, upon being taken out of kiln, shrinks in the air causing cracks. When the sculpture is put into the bin, the smoke gets into the cracks and makes incredible hues. 

Her pottery features iridescent glazed bodies and crackle glazed lids.  

“I love to go bold with my work and with color, push the limits of creativity, mixing different mediums. I may use different kinds of glaze firings, or different kinds of materials,” said Mars. “I like to take a lot of risks and [create] the vision that I see in my head; I don’t let anything influence me but my own ideas.”

Schiff is also open to the experience of creation informing her art, rather than adhering to a preconceived plan. Her work captures not only what is there but what is left behind as she applies layers of paint and then scrapes them away to form her works. 

While experimenting with different markings, Schiff has sought to expand her color palette in the past year. 

“I am interested in exploring. I try to really be open to what is happening on the canvas, what may occur, what I may explore with. I am intentional but I am also open to what may happen. I’m starting with the paint, I’m not starting with a narrative. Narrative may develop from putting the paint on the canvas. My work is about color and intention,” she explained. 

This shared willingness to play around with colors, tones, and forms is what first drew Schwarting to assembling this joint exhibition. 

“Gina started branching out in the past year [with] new motifs, materials, and experimenting with her process. I was really drawn to the sculptural elements and the dark surfaces that become luminous. Ellen’s art also evolved — it got brighter. The attention to texture and color is what really stood out to me: earthy, weathered, worn, but with incandescent color. Gina’s art has a very similar feeling to what Ellen has in her paintings. The breadth, range, and simultaneous cohesion of this exhibition make it a truly unique experience and one we are excited to share.”

Exhibition-related programming will include an ArTalk on Location, featuring both artists, to be published on YouTube on Feb. 3 and a one-day pottery workshop with Gina Mars in the Studio on Feb. 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

 

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Best in Show: Chloe Wang
Outstanding Work on Paper-Watercolor: Scott Hartman
Outstanding Wood craft: Michael Josiah
Honorable Mention: Marlene Weinstein
Outstanding Painting in Oil and Acrylic: William Low
Outstanding Photography: Madison Muehl
Outstanding Fiber Art: ­Kate Ackerman
Outstanding Jewelry: Jessica Randall
Outstanding Work on Paper: Gerard Lehner
Outstanding Glass Art: Gail Applebaum
Honorable Mention: Eric Giles
Honorable Mention: Cassandra Voulo
Outstanding Ceramics and Pottery: Bebe Federmann

Gallery North in Setauket hosted its 55th annual Outdoor Art Show & Music Festival on Sept. 11 and 12. The two day event showcased the work of over 90 artists and artisans and featured live music, kids activities and food and attracted thousands of visitors.

Juried by Karen Levitov, Director and Curator of the Zuccaire Gallery at Stony Brook University; artist Nancy Bueti-Randall; and Lorraine Walsh, Art Director and Curator of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics, awards were granted for each art category, including wood craft, ceramics and pottery, fiber art, works on paper, photography, glass art, jewelry, and painting. 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 2022.

And the awards go to:

Best in Show: Chloe Wang

 Outstanding Wood craft:  Michael Josiah

Outstanding Fiber Art: ­Kate Ackerman

Outstanding Glass Art: Gail Applebaum

Outstanding Jewelry: Jessica Randall

Outstanding Painting in Oil and Acrylic:  William Low

Outstanding Ceramics and Pottery: Bebe Federmann

Outstanding Work on Paper: Gerard Lehner

Outstanding Work on Paper-Watercolor: Scott Hartman

Outstanding Photography: Madison Muehl

Honorable Mentions: Marlene Weinstein, Eric Giles

and Cassandra Voulo

Gallery North is located at 90 North Country Road, Setauket. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

 

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Artist Eric Giles will join over 90 exhibitors at this year's event.
Artist Flo Kemp will join over 90 exhibitors at this year's event.
Artist Jo Wadler will join over 90 exhibitors at this year's event.
Artist Justin Cavagnaro will join over 90 exhibitors at this year's event.
Artist Meryle King will join over 90 exhibitors at this year's event.
Gallery North Art Show crowd

By Melissa Arnold

Following a tough year for creatives of all kinds, the return of art exhibitions and concerts is a welcome relief. In Setauket, the community is looking forward to a longtime tradition, Gallery North’s Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival, on Sept. 11 and 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The festival has run annually on the grounds of Gallery North and along North Country Road since they first opened in 1965. With last year’s event scaled back to Maker’s Markets throughout the month of September for safety reasons, gallery director Ned Puchner can’t wait to kick things off again.

“It’s a really nice time of year to get out and enjoy the weather, the community and all of the very talented artists we have in the area,” he said. “The artists really rely on this event on an annual basis to make sales and meet new people. That’s especially true this year after taking a year off for the pandemic.”

The festival has grown considerably over the years, and now boasts more than 90 artists and vendors who come from around Long Island to exhibit and sell their work. There is truly something for every style and personality, including a diverse collection of original paintings, prints, photography, ceramics, pottery, woodwork, glassware, artisan created jewelry, handmade crafts, decorations, and even clothing. Awards will be granted for Best in Show in a number of categories, and award winners will be featured in a special Winner’s Circle exhibition at Gallery North in 2022.

Around 10 years ago, local musicians were also invited to perform throughout the weekend. This year, Gallery North has partnered with WUSB Radio (90.1/107.3 FM) to help broaden the variety of musicians for the festival. 

“I had approached Ned in the past about doing some music-related events at the gallery, and then the idea sat aside for a while because of the pandemic,” said WUSB general manager Isobel Breheny-Schafer. “This is the first time we’ve been able to work together, and it’s exciting for all of us.”

The station was intentional about including a mix of genres and time periods for both days of the festival. Staff members at WUSB formed a committee who spent time exploring each act’s music before making their final selections.

Five artists will perform each day on the WUSB Music Stage. Expect to hear a variety of eras and genres, including folk originals and covers from Grand Folk Railroad; Steely Dan hits from Night by Night; rockabilly tunes with Kane Daily and decades of chart-toppers from the Dirty Water Dogs and Kristhen, among others. Local DJs will also be on hand to keep the music coming all weekend long.

“Everyone is excited to get involved. It’s a beautiful venue in a beautiful area,” Breheny-Schafer said. “People need things to look forward to, they need social interaction, and the arts have such an important role to play in bringing people together.”

While all the musicians are compensated for the weekend, many offered to play for free to support the station and the gallery, added Breheny-Schafer.  

Artist Gina Mars at Gallery North’s Outdoor Art & Music Festival in 2019. Photo by Heidi Sutton

The art community is equally excited to get back to doing what they love. One of the returning artists, sculptor Gina Mars, is a regular at the festival and this year’s event will mark her first public sale and exhibition since the pandemic began.

“I felt like the pandemic gave me the time to focus more on those things I always wanted to do but never had the chance, like animal sculptures,” said Mars, who lives in Huntington Station. “But so many shows have been canceled, so it was really a year of creating and waiting.”

Mars fell in love with ceramics by accident while taking an art elective in college. Her natural gift led to 30 years of teaching and sculpting along with global exhibitions. This year, she’ll bring a collection of bowls, centerpieces, mugs and animal figures to sell at the festival.

“The Gallery North show is one of the very few shows left that’s truly about craft — everything there has to be made completely by the artist. And everyone involved is so kind and generous. We feel like a family when we come together,” she said. “Being so close to the university gives us the chance to meet amazing people from all over the world. We develop relationships with people who have a genuine appreciation for our work.”

Kids can explore their artistic sides too, with free puppet making and printing demonstrations offered on the patio terrace at the Studio at Gallery North. Food vendors will be available as well including Katie’s Food Truck, Tasty Frosty Ice Cream, and St. James Brewery.

In addition to WUSB, sponsors for the weekend include: Printing Plus, Techmaven, Jos. M. Troffa Materials, Team Ardolino/Realty Connect USA, Glynn, Mercep & Purcell, Stony Brook Vision World, Hamlet Wines & Liquors, Bill and Dina Weisberger, Janice and Jon Gabriel, Ronne Cosel, Judy Gibbons, and Stephanie and Michael Gress.

 

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Saturday, Sept. 11

10 to 11 a.m. — Mike and Mel 

11 a.m. to noon — Kane Daily

Noon to 1 p.m. — Dirty Water Dogs

2 to 4 p.m. — Claudia Jacobs

4 to 5 p.m. ­— International Orange

Sunday, Sept. 12

10 to 11 a.m. — Kristhen 

11 a.m. to noon — Brian Reeder Trio

Noon to 1 p.m. — Danny Kean

1 to 3 p.m. — Night by Night

3 to 5 p.m. — Grand Folk Railroad

List of Exhibitors:

A 1    Gallery North

A 8    Jo Glazebrook — pottery

A 9    Gail Applebaum — glass art

A 10  Gerard Lehner — fiber art/works on paper

A 11  Amy Schwing — jewelry

A 14  Madison Muehl — photography

A 15  Brianna Sander — jewelry/mixed media

A 16  Tamara Hayes — pottery

A 17  Joyce Roll — fiber art

A 19  Jennifer Lucas — mixed media/works on paper

A 20  Douglas Keating — pottery/sculpture

A 21  Patricia Paparo — wood

A 33  Chloe Wang — painting

A 34  Denisse Aneke — jewelry

A 35  Marlene Weinstein — mixed media/works on paper/photography

A 36  Cassie Hussey — works on paper/printmaking/drawing

A 37, 38  Flo Kemp —  works on paper/printmaking/drawing

A 39  Toni Neuschaefer — jewelry

A 40  Simon Zeng — painting

A 41  Matt DiBarnardo —  wood/painting/sculpture

A 46  Russell Spillman  — pottery

A 47  Three Village Community Trust

B 2  Emily Bicht — pottery/works on paper

B 3  Donna Glover — jewelry

B 4  Rachel Gressin — jewelry/works on paper

B 5  Don Lindsley — wood

B 6  Joseph Waldeck — jewelry

B 7  Nancy Weeks — painting

C 57  David Arteaga — photography

C 58  Susan Rodgers — jewelry

C 59  Jessica Randall — jewelry

C 60  Joanne Liff — works on paper/ watercolor/pastel

C 61  Renee Fondacaro — soaps/wellness

C 62  Anthony Cavallaro — wood/mixed media

C 63  Laimute Onusaitiene — painting

C 64,65  Linda & Scott Hartman— mixed media/watercolor/paper

C 66  Marlena Urban — painting

C 67  Eva Pere — wood/jewelry

C 68  Joyce Elias — glass art/jewelry

C 69 Peter Robinson Smith — sculpture

C 70  Gina Mars — pottery

C 71  Nancy Pettersen — jewelry

C 72  Christopher Santiago ­— painting

C 73  Jennifer Bardram — mixed media/works on paper

C 74  Kate Ackerman — fiber art

C 75  Daniel McCarthy ­— painting

C 76  Rachel Fournier — jewelry/fiber art

D 86    William Low — painting

D 87    Aja Camerlingo — jewelry

D 88    Michael Waltzer — wood

D 89    Don Dailey — wood

D 90    Four Harbors Audubon Society

D 91    John Mutch — jewelry

D 92    Paul W. Zuccaire Gallery, Staller Center for the Arts

D 93    Jonathan Zamet — pottery

D 94    Meryle King — fiber art

D 95     Lou Frederick — jewelry

D 96     Lynda Lawrence — mosaics

D 97 Bebe Federmann — pottery

D 98 Cassandra Voulo — works on paper/printmaking/drawing

D 99 Lynn Pisciotta — jewelry/sculpture

D 100 Russell Pulick — pottery

D 101 Ned Butterfield — painting

D 102 Vincent Delisi — mixed media/works on paper

D 103 Stephanie Occhipinti — jewelry

D 104 Andrea Feinberg — jewelry

D 105 Michael Josiah — wood

D 106 Tracy Levine — jewelry

D 112 Jo Wadler — jewelry

D 113 Dawn Jones — glass

D 125 Melanie Wulfrost — pottery

D 126 Jane Ruggiero — jewelry

E 148  Brianna D’Amato — painting

E 149  Susan Alexander — fiber art/mixed media

E 150  Christopher J. Alexander — painting

E 151  Najda Adman — fiber art

E 152  Daphne Frampton — soaps/wellness

E 153  Michael Iacobellis — photography

E 154  Neal Wechsler / Tom Venezia — honey/spices

E 155  Barry Saltsberg — wood

E 156  Cathy Buckley — jewelry

E 157  Denise Randall — pottery

E 158  Diane Bard — soaps/wellness

E 159  Justin Cavagnaro — glass art

E 160  Stefanie Deringer — wood/glass/jewelry

E 161  Eric Giles — mixed media

E 162  The Brick Studio and Gallery — pottery

E 163  Joan Friedland — fiber art

E 164  Samantha Moyse — jewelry

E 165  Donna Carey-Zucker — jewelry

E 166  Keith Krejci — photography

 

The 55th Annual Outdoor Art Show and Music Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the weekend of Sept. 11 and 12 on the grounds and area surrounding Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.gallerynorth.org/oas2021 or call 631-751-2676.

 

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'West Meadow Afternoon' by Mary Jane Van Zeijts
'Boys Night Out' by Doug Reina
'White Goddess' by Han Qin
'Jupiter Red Spots' by Alicia Peterson
'Coastal' by Jim Molloy

By Tara Mae

After a 3 year absence, Local Color returns to Gallery North, a proclamation of the connection between art, artist, and community. On view from Aug. 19 to Sept. 26, the exhibit is presented in conjunction with the North Shore Artists Coalition and includes a reception and Open Studio Tour. 

The beautiful show features artists whose work is both universal and local in impact, meaning, and appeal. 

“[Executive Director] Ned Puchner and I decided to bring Local Color back this year and re-envision it to show through these artists what local culture is about. The exhibit is defining the role artists play in shaping identity of community and showing diversity of how artists define community: creating culture, creating beautiful and impactful work, adding to the identity through their outreach, etc,” said curator Kate Schwarting. 

The show’s art is as varied as its interpretation of theme, featuring oil and acrylic paintings, photography, sculptures, and digital renderings. Thirty artists, from St. James to Mount Sinai, will be featured including Kelynn Alder, Arts.codes (Margaret Schedel and Melissa Clarke), Fred Badalamenti, Joan Branca, Sheila Breck, Pam Brown, Nancy Bueti-Randall, Sue Contessa, Micheal Drakopoulos, Paul Edelson, Peter Galasso, Han Qin, LoVid, Flo Kemp, Karen Kemp, Jim Lecky, Jim Molloy, Carlos Morales, Patricia Morrison, Patricia Paladines, Mel Pekarsky, Alicia R. Peterson, Doug Reina, Joseph Rotella, Angela Stratton, Mary Jane van Zeijts, Lorraine Walsh, Annmarie Waugh, Marlene Weinstein, and Christian White.

“What is so special about this exhibition is that each artist brings a different thing to the exhibition,” explained Schwarting. “A plein air painter captures the essence of a familiar location and allows us to see it in different light; someone else [deals] with a scientific topic that is so difficult to comprehend, but creates art that enables us to know through physical form and visual cues.”   

Several of the participants are also activists who champion social, technological, and environmental awareness and change through their art. 

According to Schwarting, a number of the artists were recruited through the gallery’s association with the North Shore Artists Coalition, while others were invited by her and Puchner. 

Pam Brown, a sculptor who lives in Stony Brook and co-founder of the coalition, helped facilitate the partnership between the group and the gallery. Her piece, Armour, is a sculpture fabricated out of sheet metal, wire, boar bristles, and vinyl. Brown’s efforts in facilitating the relationship between Gallery North and the North Shore Artists Coalition reflect the connection she sees between art and community outreach. 

“Community engagement creates an opportunity for the arts and artists to be seen by their communities — it initiates new ways for the public and artists to build connections between different groups. It brings together communities so they can articulate their own history and culture and to acknowledge that art is taking place in a larger context,” she said. 

For artist Doug Reina of Stony Brook, who has exhibited at Gallery North in the past, showing his work in Local Color is reconnecting with a “fun, summertime tradition.” 

“My work is about sharing the interesting, touching, emotional, funny, beautiful, sad human things that mean something to me with the viewer,” said Reina. His oil painting, titled Boys Night Out, depicts 4 teenage boys sneaking out of the house on a summer night. “The painting is based on real life experiences we had when our son was that age,” he explained.

Interpersonal connection is a recurring subject of the show’s art. This focus extends outward into explorations of our interactions with and responsibility to the world-at-large.

Han Qin of St. James will be entering her cyanotype on paper, White Goddess, which incorporates digital photo editing, drawing, and papermaking. It was inspired by two poems: “The White Goddess” by Robert Graves and “Quiet Night Thoughts” by Li Bai. 

“I started the White Goddess series during my pregnancy and have been developing it until now. Poetry and life experience are the main inspirations. The idea behind the artwork becomes a shared experience that brings people together,” she said.

“We as a people have a long continuous personal storyline. Artwork is the moment on the storyline. My moment connects with others’ moments in their individual storylines; thus, a web of emotional connections builds up. That is a community, too,” said Qin.

Such cultural connections are enhanced through community involvement. In this spirit, exhibiting artists of Local Color will also be featured in an Open Studio Tour hosted by the North Shore Artists Coalition and Gallery North on Sept. 25 and 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. 

“With one piece from each of the selected artists in the exhibit itself, the Open Studio Tour allows for an expanded view of the individual artists,” said Schwarting. 

Gallery North, 90 North Coutry Road, Setauket presents Local Color from Aug. 19 to Sept. 26. Join the artists for an opening reception tonight, August 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. The gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

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'Storm Passing' by Anne Raymond
'Cross Over' by Sue Contessa
'Into the Blue' by Anne Raymond
'Undertow' by Sue Contessa
'December Blue Series' by Anne Raymond

By Tara Mae

Abstract art invites an audience to use its imagination and interpret meaning. 

Gallery North’s newest exhibit, Laminar Rituals, celebrates the creation and explores the impact of mark making and non-objective art through the works of artists Sue Contessa of St. James and Anne Raymond of East Hampton. The show opens today, April 8.

Featuring Contessa’s acrylic paintings and Raymond’s monotypes and oil paintings, the title of the exhibit refers to their artistic styles, which incorporate transparent or translucent layers of paint that laminate, protect, and enhance their marks and brushstrokes. 

“Both artists really work in a very intuitive manner … Sue’s work is really about the experience the viewer has in front of the [art]. Anne is much more interested in transient qualities we find around ourselves — things like change in weather patterns, changes in light over the course of the day … trying to capture those fleeting moments around us,” said Gallery North Executive Director Ned Puchner. “I think when put together, this exhibit is really presenting records of our experience out in the world.” 

Rather than seeking inspiration from outside sources, Contessa finds meaning in the methodology of crafting her art. She uses acrylic paint and occasionally graphite pencil to build marks on the canvas. This technique creates a perceived visual depth to her paintings.

“The work is about repetition … The paintings are more about formal art issues, and the repetition allows for that form of meditation that I always hope will happen. I just have to trust my process. I tend to work rather thinly and transparently, so you are always seeing something from underneath, which impacts each layer,” said Contessa.

For Raymond, the development of her palette is an essential part of her creative process. “I work from a palette based on what I feel like at the time. If I don’t like it, I completely change it,” she said. “I float back and forth between doing monotypes and painting. I think this helps me stay fresh.”

Raymond uses plexiglass plates for her monotypes, making unique single prints with oil-based, pigment-rich, lithography inks. Unlike oil paint, the inks dry fairly quickly so Raymond is able to produce a few in a single session. 

The process of working in these mediums is different, but its influences are largely the same. Her art, although abstract, is impacted by the natural world. 

“Almost all of my work has reference to landscape, seascape, or sky. I feel really lucky. The beauty of Long Island is my muse,” Raymond said. 

Classically trained, Contessa and Raymond each studied art in college and then attended the School of Visual Arts in New York City. They worked in traditional, realistic mediums like figure drawing and still life before becoming abstract artists. 

After taking classes at the Art League of Long Island in Dix Hills, Contessa was asked to teach figure and basic drawing classes there. 

“I have a background in realistic painting, but it wasn’t satisfying for me. It wasn’t what I wanted to paint. I wanted to paint something that didn’t exist before,” Contessa said. “When you create an [abstract] painting, it is something that you created. The reason for doing it in the first place is that I don’t know what it’s going to look like.”  

Raymond worked as an illustrator, for a newspaper, and in the travel industry before fully transitioning to a career as an abstract artist. “When I was studying, I did a lot of live drawing … I appreciate the skill, but it was not exciting in the way that working abstractly is. While working as an illustrator, I was already doing abstracts … I think it is creatively engaging to invite surprise into your process,” she said. 

Their complementary mindsets about composing abstract art is part of what initially inspired Puchner to pair their art for an exhibit. “I saw common features with both of them,” he said. 

It is the first show that Contessa or Raymond have done since the pandemic began. The exhibit is part of Puchner and Gallery North’s ongoing effort to introduce patrons to the work of local artists and provide the local artists with additional exhibition possibilities. 

“I’m really trying to present more artists and give more artists more opportunities to show. I have fun trying to create these pairings and expose our audience to more local artists,” Puchner added. 

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket presents Laminar Rituals through May 16. The exhibit will be open to the public during the gallery’s normal hours, Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. All onsite events are socially distanced and masks are mandatory for entry.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Raymond will lead a monotype workshop for a class of up to six people at the Studio at Gallery North on April 10 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Contessa and Raymond will participate in a Virtual ArTalk on April 24, from 6 to 8 p.m. 

For more information, to register for these programs, or to learn more about Laminar Rituals and other upcoming exhibits, visit www.gallerynorth.org or call 631-751-2676. 

 

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'Queens Lace' by Ty Stroudsburg

By Tara Mae

As a reprieve from the gray of winter and the tedious, yet terrifying drudgery of a pandemic, Gallery North’s latest exhibit, Filtered Light, offers a glimpse of brightness and hope. Featuring the work of two local artists, Ty Stroudsburg and Marceil Kazickas, the show, which opens Jan. 14, explores the connection between the realistic beauty and abstract wonder of nature, especially as it exists on Long Island.

Open to the public in person and available for online viewing, the collection consists of mostly oil paintings, a form both artists prefer. 

“Oil paint is seductive, sensual, and uplifting,” said Kazickas during a recent interview, adding that the medium enables textures, movement, and depth that can be harder to achieve by other means, such as acrylic paint. Several pastel sketches are also included. 

‘It Bears Repeating’ by Marceil Kazickas

These creations are related by certain themes — an appreciation of the outdoors and an examination of light, color, and texture. The exhibit features abstract expressionist pieces and images inspired by the vibrant landscapes of the region. 

This venture is the culmination of Gallery North’s commitment to connecting and maintaining relationships with its patrons and the art community during the pandemic, according to Kazickas. Although the pieces in the exhibit were largely made before the pandemic, the art reflects the outside world’s current altered state of reality, merging the tangible with the ephemeral. 

“Ty, because she has been working continuously for 50 years, and Marceil, who was very influenced by [late artist] Stan Brodsky, are very influenced by the ideas of abstract expressionism: nature is embodied in the human, who is a reflection of nature and our role within it,” explained Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner.

Both artists cite nature and color as primary sources of inspiration, but they approach it differently. Stroudsburg’s work is somewhat abstract, but her paintings are based in landscape form and normally have horizon lines.

“My work is still based on plant forms and things I see in the environment. My big focus has always been color. If I put my foot on the brake when I am driving around, it is because something is very colorful and has grabbed my attention. Color is the jumping off point for my canvas,” Stroudsburg said. 

‘Coreopsis’ by Ty Stroudsburg

Kazickas’ featured artwork, all abstract, is rooted in vertical sight lines and the beauty found beyond her front door. “I am painting a feeling [but] am inspired by Long Island; there is a vista everywhere … Mother Nature is so spectacular,” said the artist, who resides in Sands Point. 

Kazickas starts first with dark hues and then adds bright colors. “Most of my paintings are about dark and light and the magic that happens when they play against each other,” she explained. Having endured chronic pain for many years, Kazickas sees this process as a reflection of the bleakness of constant agony transformed into the relief experiences in creating art. “My paintings are full of color because it’s what I need to see,” she added. 

The versatility of the art in the exhibit extends beyond the lights and shadows to the unmistakable texture and expansive scope of the images. Movement on the canvases is expressed through the strong brush strokes. The vibrancy catches the eye, whether in person or on a screen, according to Assistant Curator Kate Schwarting. 

Stroudsburg has been exhibiting her art since the 1960s and had an existing relationship with the gallery. She moved from the South Fork of the Island to Southold on the North fork in 1985, drawn to the “non-social atmosphere.” Her work was already being displayed across the island, at institutions like the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington , as well as galleries in New York City and throughout the country.

‘Awakening’ by Marceil Kazickas

Attracted to the art community of Stony Brook and Setauket, Stroudsburg met and connected with former Gallery North Executive Director Colleen Hanson. She facilitated an exhibit of Stroudsburg’s work at the gallery and helped arrange for her art to be on display at Stony Brook University Hospital, where four of her large canvases reside. Stroudsburg networked with galleries and other artists, among them the late Joseph Reboli. 

Kazickas has exhibited her work at the Art Guild and at galleries throughout Long Island. She studied at the Roslyn School of Painting and began working as an artist more recently. Her art first caught the attention of Schwarting after she participated in many of the gallery’s ongoing virtual events.

“I met Marceil through some of our virtual programs,” said Schwarting. “We realized that Marceil’s work was a perfect combination with Ty’s work. The art is slightly different, but there is a conversation that happens between the works that makes sense.”

Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket presents Filtered Light from Jan. 14 through Feb. 25. The exhibit will be open to the public during the gallery’s normal hours, Wednesdays to Saturdays from 11 a.m to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Social distancing will be observed and masks are mandatory for entry. Additionally the full show will be available online at www.gallerynorth.org. A virtual reception will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, please call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

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'Jingle All the Way' by Jan Guarino
'Shrinking Heartland' by Paul Thomas
'Obsessive Circular Disorder' by John Benevento

By Melissa Arnold

The holiday season is fast approaching, and it’s time to start thinking about that shopping list. But before you visit those online retailers and big box stores, consider supporting local businesses hit hard by this year’s closures and safety restrictions.

In the Three Village area, Gallery North has teamed up with their neighbors at The Jazz Loft and Three Village Historical Society for a festive holiday experience that has a little something for everyone on your list.

Each year, Gallery North celebrates local artists with Deck the Halls, a group exhibit and art sale. Now through Dec. 20, visitors can admire the work of more than 70 artists covering a variety of subjects and media. The sale includes over 100 pieces of art, with a range of prices making it easy to find a unique gift that fits any budget.

This year, Gallery North executive director Ned Puchner was eager to put together a larger, yet safe and festive event that could bring the community together again.

“Frankly, a lot of people are still understandably concerned about going out and shopping,” said Puchner. “We had a lot of success with the Farmers and Makers Markets over the summer, and one of our board members joked that while she didn’t do hot weather, she’d volunteer in a heartbeat for a winter event.”

The idea grew from there. Puchner reached out to Steve Healy, president of the Three Village Historical Society, and Tom Manuel, founder of The Jazz Loft, brainstorming ways they could collaborate.

They were inspired by the beautiful, timeless holiday markets in New York City, and decided to transform the historical society grounds into a marketplace of their own. The outdoor marketplace will open for four Saturdays after Thanksgiving, allowing local artists and vendors to set up shop in a festively decorated atmosphere.

Browse the gallery store for paintings, photography and sculptures, then shop outdoors for handcrafted pottery, jewelry, wood and metal creations, clothing, glassware, spice blends and much more.

Along the way, grab a bite to eat and some dessert or warm up with a hot drink from local food trucks.

“Throughout the pandemic we’ve been encouraging people to shop local and support local businesses as much as possible, because everyone is struggling. We can’t help everyone, but we all have ways we can chip in,” said Healy. “[The local organizations] have a great rapport, and we’re always looking for new ways that we can support one another.”

The Jazz Loft’s Equity Brass Band will perform a wide selection of New Orleans jazz standards along with jazzed-up versions of holiday classics. You’ll find them playing in their tent and parading through the grounds on market days as weather permits.

Over the summer, you may have seen the band marching through the streets on one of their Spirit Tours — musical appearances meant to uplift the community and provide cultural enrichment in a time where entertainment has been difficult, if not impossible.

“There’s been a blessing in all this — because we [musicians] are all out of work, people that normally don’t have the time to come and work with us are suddenly free. We’ve had great camaraderie develop from this experience,” Manuel said. “Jazz has always been the soundtrack of America. People have come up to us extremely moved to hear music after being cut off from art for nearly a year.”

At the core of the exhibit and holiday market is the desire to bring a little normalcy and good cheer to the season.

“It’ll give you a little taste of the holiday season while keeping people safe and socially distanced. It also supports local artists, musicians, chefs and entrepreneurs during a time that has been devastating for people who earn their livelihoods performing and creating,” Puchner said. “We want to renew our connection with the community and restore a spirit of togetherness. We’re all still here.”

The Deck the Halls exhibit is on display through Dec. 20 at Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A virtual reception will be held via Zoom on Nov. 19 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Participating artists for the Deck the Halls exhibit include:

Lucia Alberti, Kelynn Alder, Andrea Baatz, Fred Badalamenti, Steve Behler, John Benevento, Joan Branca, Sheila Breck, Nancy Bueti Randall, Natalie Butkevich, Esther Marie Caponigro, Donna Carey-Zucker, Joseph Cooke, Jody Cukier, Linda Davidson-Mathues, Julie Doczi, Daniel Donato, Michael Drakopoulos, Paul Edelson, Patty Eljaiek, Lily Farah, Meagan Flaherty, Kimberly Gerber, Ray Germann, Helaine Goldberg, Holly Gordon, Larissa Grass, Jan Guarino, Anne Katz, Marceil Kazickas, Flo Kemp, Karen Kemp, Julianna Kirk, Randy Kraft, Barron Krody, Jillian Kron, Charles Lembo, LOVID, Mary Lor, Kathleen Massi, Michael McLaughlin, Meagan Meehan, Eleanor Meier, Olivia Menghini, Jim Molloy, Riley Mulligan, Annette Napolitano, Rhoda Needlman PSA, Gail Neuman, Susan Oliverio, Cynthia Parry, Mel Pekarsky, Alicia R. Peterson, Doug Reina, Brianna Sander, Oscar Santiago, Lori Scarlatos, Kate Schwarting, James Slezak, Judith Stone, Angela Stratton, Schery Markee Sullivan, Paul Thomas, Joanne Touch, Joe Ventimiglia, Mary Waka, Marlene Weinstein, Gil Yang, Patricia Yantz, Nicole Zinerco, and Stanley Zucker.

The Holiday Market will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 28, Dec. 5, Dec. 12 and Dec. 19 on the grounds of the Three Village Historical Society, 93 North Country Road, Setauket and Gallery North. Please note: Masks and social distancing will be required, and there will be no public restrooms.

For questions about the market or to register as a vendor, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org/holiday-market.

 

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By Melissa Arnold

For decades, Carmela Kolman labored over canvas and paper to capture the world through her eyes. Painting was her greatest passion, and coupled with great talent, it carried her work to galleries across the United States.

But it wasn’t always easy. Kolman also had Marfan syndrome, a rare connective tissue disorder that can affect the entire body. In daily life, she struggled with her eyesight, and ultimately died from complications of the condition in 2018. She was 57.

In recognition of Kolman’s extensive career and her contributions to the local art community on Long Island, Gallery North in Setauket is hosting a retrospective exhibition titled Visions. The solo exhibit features 17 pieces that reflect much of Kolman’s career, from her early days as a student to the final years of her life.

Painting was Kolman’s first love from an early age, even though she was blind in one eye and her vision was severely impaired in the other. In an artist statement from Aug. 2016, she wrote: “I painted constantly, with my face pressed close to the canvas. I would have to really look and study things to make them out … I could not recognize something more than three feet from me ­­— Blue eyes? I didn’t even know what blue eyes were … My vision was blurry, and I painted what I saw.”

Despite her difficulties, Kolman pressed on. She received a bachelor’s degree in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), then attended Yale for a master’s degree in painting. Her cloudy painting style earned her high praise, even as she dealt with constant self-criticism and frustration.

It was during her time at RISD that Kolman met John Rizzo, who attended nearby Brown University. The pair wouldn’t get acquainted until much later at a party hosted by a mutual friend in Chicago, but Rizzo called the experience a work of fate. They married in 1989.

“I’m a professor and economist with zero artistic talent,” joked Rizzo, who shared 28 years of marriage with Kolman. “We were an unlikely couple, for sure. I think our friends were surprised at how we took an interest in one another. But she was an incredibly tender-hearted person, very open and empathetic.”

At 22, Kolman had cataract surgery, catapulting her vision from a cloudy haze to an overwhelming perfection she didn’t know how to process. She stopped painting for several years, only starting again while recovering from a cardiac incident. From then on, she sought to integrate the impressionistic blur of her early work with the realism that came along after her eye surgery.

Gallery North’s Executive Director Ned Puchner didn’t have the chance to meet Kolman, but worked closely with Rizzo to choose work that reflected every season of her life and artistic style.

“These paintings capture something about reality that goes deeper than what we see,” Puchner said. “[Carmela] was influenced by the impressionists and the Fauvists, and would focus on singular objects over and over again in an almost meditative way. I’m really impressed by the attention to detail. Her work is breathtaking.”

Rizzo noted that Kolman preferred still life portraits, especially of fruit and flowers. Today, one of the rooms in his Port Jefferson home has rose-themed decor, with her rose paintings hung all around.

“She liked to play with different kinds of light, shading and shadow, and still life allowed her to control those elements carefully,” he explained. “It’s hard to choose a favorite painting, but I love all of the rose portraits. How many people can say their wife left beautiful oil paintings to remember her by? They help me to feel close to her.”

After her death, Gallery North approached Rizzo with an idea: Why not establish a fellowship in Carmela’s name, allowing other artists the time to create while sharing their expertise with others?

The Carmela Kolman Fellowship in Fine Art program will award one artist per year 10 weeks of studio time at the gallery. In addition to pursuing their artistic practice, the fellows will also teach workshops, help to organize community programming, or assist with classes as needed. The first fellow, Meagan Flaherty, will exhibit her work in 2021.

Carmela Kolman: Visions will be on view at Gallery North, 90 North Country Road, Setauket from Oct. 8 to Nov. 8. Admission is free. The gallery is currently open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. A virtual reception will be held via Zoom on Oct. 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, call 631-751-2676 or visit www.gallerynorth.org.

Images courtesy of Gallery North

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Above, a painting of Frank Melville Memorial Park in Setauket by artist John Koch at a previous Wet Paint Festival. Photo courtesy of Gallery North

By Melissa Arnold

It’s been a tough season for the plethora of local events that have either been canceled, postponed or restructured. Thankfully, technology like livestreaming and video chat have made it possible for some events to go on as scheduled, albeit a bit differently.

For the past 16 years, the Wet Paint Festival has given Three Village residents and visitors an up close look at the creative process of local artists as they work. The event was founded to honor the memory of beloved Long Island painter Joe Reboli, who died in 2004.

But inviting artists and community members to gather for creative fun and conversation doesn’t exactly fit in this quarantined, socially distant time. So what to do?

It’s been a baptism by fire of sorts for Ned Puchner of Gallery North in Setauket, which has sponsored the event from its beginnings. Puchner, who became the gallery’s executive director in December, was looking forward to his first Wet Paint Festival. Now, he’s been called upon to dream up an alternative.

“It’s been one of those unique experiences where you get to know people really fast,” Puchner joked. “But I’ve also learned very quickly how much support there is here for the arts and the art community, even despite the pandemic and its challenges. It’s been very encouraging for me to see that outpouring.”

Originally founded by former Gallery North director Colleen Hanson and the Reboli family, the Wet Paint Festival invites artists from Long Island and beyond for a relaxed weekend of plein air (outdoor) painting. The artists paint at the same location from vantage points of their choosing, allowing each put their own spin on well-known scenes and landmarks.

In the past, the festival has been held at West Meadow Beach and the adjoining Old Field Farm, Frank Melville Memorial Park, the Stony Brook railroad, the Thompson House, and Avalon Park & Preserve, among other places.

This year’s event will celebrate each artist’s originality as Wet Paint goes virtual. Painting sessions will be either livestreamed online or pre-recorded from a location the artist selects, whether it’s their own backyard or a public spot. During each session, the artist will talk about their creative process and take questions from viewers, just as they would in person.

To accommodate for the new format, the artists will paint for an entire week, from July 18 through July 25. The completed artwork will then be on display on the Gallery North website throughout the month of August.

The virtual festival is the latest in Gallery North’s ongoing effort to provide engaging online experiences during the pandemic.

“We had the Wet Paint Festival completely planned and were starting to gather sponsors and registrants when we had to close the gallery on March 14. When we closed, we decided to postpone the event, not realizing how long we would be unable to function and be outside,” Puchner explained.

“As time went on, we took it as an opportunity to get creative not only with Wet Paint, but with everything we do,” he said. The gallery began to share daily art activities, host “virtual open studio” events, film screenings, lectures, and opportunities to give and receive feedback on work in progress. As the staff grew more comfortable with video chat platforms such as Zoom, they knew they had to find a way to present the Wet Paint Festival, too.

Angela Stratton of Selden has enjoyed painting at the festival for the past 15 years, and while she’ll miss the connection and camaraderie of the typical event, she’s excited to see what comes of the online version.

“I’m the kind of person that likes to be outside anyway, so getting to paint at the same time is really a double treasure,” said Stratton, an oil painter. “Of course, there can be issues with painting outdoors ­— the sun goes in and out, it can be windy, it can rain — but it gives you the real depth of color you just can’t get from a photo.”

Stratton is still up in the air about where she’ll be painting, but she enjoys the challenge provided by the Old Field lighthouse.

Annette Napolitano, a realist painter who works in both watercolor and oil, would normally go out once a week to paint with a group of friends. She’s participated in Wet Paint for several years now.

“The first time I did the festival, I was so excited to be with the other artists, all of us working in the same place. The world is so big, and it can be a challenge to grab just a piece of it,” said Napolitano, of Rocky Point.

“I think bringing the festival online is a good solution because it’s like a pop-up event — people can come and go as they please. It’s also nice that we have a whole week to work, and it’s going to be fun to see people share their work from different parts of Long Island,” she said.

Puchner hopes that the event will inspire creativity not only in the participating artists, but people at home as well.

“At the center of the arts is expression. Everyone has had different experiences during the pandemic, but it has been significant for all of us,” he said. “There’s a fundamental need to discuss how we’re feeling, and the arts are a safe space for expression of all kinds.”

Livestreamed and recorded artist visits will be available for public viewing the week of July 27 at www.gallerynorth.org. Then, all completed works will be on the site for viewing and purchase throughout the month of August, with commissions split equally between the artist and the gallery. A virtual reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Aug. 8 via Zoom; registration is free but required.

For further information, visit www.gallerynorth.org or call 631-751-2676.

*Article from TBR News Media’s Summer Times 2020, free on newstands today.

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