Thursday, February 28, 2013

Plein Air in Italy!

 Jeanne Salucci will be teaching Watercolor in Umbria, Italy this May. She will be meeting 16 students in Florence before traveling to La Malvarina in the foothills of Assisi. They will paint en Plein Air at beautiful locations including, Spello, Assisi, Castelluccio, Lake Trasimeno, Gubbio, and more. Anyone interested in joining this trip next year, please let her know at  Info@PalsPleinAir

Thursday, February 21, 2013

February Membership Meeting

Join us on Wednesday, February 27th for a creative evening of socializing- we will create, and share artist trading cards! bring some art supplies to share and enjoy some creative synergy- for more info on what artist trading cards are, google artist trading cards or visit http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/

very few rules:
must be 2.5 x 3.5"
traded, never sold
originals, not mass produced.

It's fun! Some of our members have vast collections that they have been trading with for years....

We being our short business meeting at 7:15 pm, have some refreshments and then begin the creativity.
The meeting is free and open to the public- members are encouraged to bring a guest or two.

Friday, February 15, 2013

Emily Czaja

Today we must share the sad news that Emily Czaja has passed away.
A Charter Member of SBAA, Emily exhibited on the Lane for many years, and was a creative spirit well into her 90's. In 2012 she won the
Bellport Festival Poster Contest with her colorful watercolor of the Bellport Yacht Club,
and had a solo exhibit at Bellport Arts & Framing where she chatted with visitors and signed Posters.
Services will be held at
Robertaccio Funeral Home on Friday, Feb 15th,
2 -4 and 7-9
85 Medford Ave, Patchogue NY 11772
475-7000
There will be a service at the Bellport Methodist Church on Saturday at 11 am.

Emily Czaja (1922 - 2013 )
Emily Czaja is one of the few people who can claim to be a life-long native of Bellport, Long Island, since most of Bellport's residents are transplants from Manhattan, other Long Island towns, or far away places.   She is also one of Long Island's overlooked artists, a self-taught, natural master with a pen, as her hand glides effortlessly across a page creating intricate illustrations of Long Island landscapes as well as fanciful images drawn straight from her own inventiveness.  In addition to her fantastic pen and ink drawings, she is also a distinguished watercolorist, proficiently melding colors and ink to create gorgeous still lifes and landscapes.

As a youngster of 10, Emily was always drawing. Her father was a "designer," which back at in the early 20th century meant that he designed and painted the interiors of luxurious homes.  These are not the simple paint jobs we are accustomed to seeing in modern homes, but involved the hand-drawn filigree and ornate decoration we admire in historical estates.  Her Uncle Charlie was a draftsman who worked in Brooklyn.  While visiting Uncle Charlie on the weekends involved a 5-hour car ride from Bellport to Brooklyn back in those days, her family was close, and they made the trip often.   He used colored pencils in his work and when they wore down, he’d give them to Emily.  During her entire childhood, she was surrounded by artistic and creative figures who inspired her, instilling an interest in drawing and coloring pictures.

Later at Bellport High School, Emily took all the art classes she could and had great teachers.  She was surrounded by artistic peers, studying with George Tooker, who would go on to become one of the most celebrated of the Magic and Social Realism painters.  As a young lady, she was asked to create many of the posters for school and church events, projects which she would continue to accept throughout her long life in Bellport.  After graduation, Emily continued taking lessons from various local artists and teachers, and experimenting with different drawing styles and mediums, including stained glass pieces and lamp shades.

A turning point came later after Emily was married. A local artist and friend, Jodie Love, knew the great watercolor artist, Ed Whitney and arranged for him to give some lessons during the summer.  Emily was hooked!  It was with watercolor that she found her niche. She began exhibiting her paintings around the South Shore of Long Island at many art associations, churches, banks, and libraries.  She won countless awards for her art-show entries.  As one of the original members of the South Bay Art Association and her membership in the Wet Paints of Sayville, Emily met Henry Fukuhara, another important artist, who influenced her artistic style.  She, and her artistic peers, painted all over the North and South Shores of Long Island.  Like the artist colonies before them, they also took group trips to New England, including Rockport and many seaside destinations in Connecticut and Massachusetts to sketch and paint.

Emily is an avid golfer and has been a fixture at the Bellport Golf and Country Club for many years.  Her art work was selected to grace the Woman's Golf League's annual fundraising calendar many times.  She also published a number of coloring books based on her whimsical designs.  For years, Emily was Bellport's official historian, a volunteer position, because of her intimate, enduring knowledge of the area and its many residents.

At 90, she continues to draw and paint, filling countless sketch books with her musings.  Her art is highly collectible and graces the walls of many Bellport and area residences.  She also continues to teach art.

Invitation from Rosamaria!


Two of my Solar Etchings are in the Exhibit:
"Winter Art Show for the 55+ Crowd". Exhibition until February 27.
Reception: Saturday, February 16 at 2 PM.
Sayville Library.  86 Greene Ave. Sayville, NY
631-589-4440
You are cordially invited.
Rosamaria.

Sunday, February 3, 2013

In Memoriam







In Memoriam
Lester Sprague  1921- 2013

Lester Sprague attended the little one room school in Medford, later on was a student in the Bellport School system,  continued on at Pratt, the Museum of Modern Art,  the Art Students League in NYC and the University of Florence, Italy.  A Decorated WWII Veteran, Lester was well known in the Bellport area.

After retiring from a successful career in advertising and industrial design, as an artist and graphic designer, Lester  concentrated on the Fine Arts, which have been his life long interest.  As a multi media artist his work is very unique, experimental, and downright “quirky”.  Collage was his media of choice, he was also an experienced printmaker, working in woodcut, linoleum, silkscreen, and solar etching.
His Art Philosophy: “to always be adventurous, and always give the public a good show!”

Les was an early member of the Bellport Lane Art Gallery, later formed the Phoenix Fine Arts Gallery, and was also a member of many other local art groups, showing his work prolifically all over Long Island.  A longtime member of South Bay Art Association, Les was involved on many levels, from Vice President, chairing events and volunteering wherever he could be of help. He gave workshops and demos in various media and was a true creative spirit, a familiar face at many art events, and even attended workshops into his 90’s. Later on in life he became involved in Playcrafters, as both set designer and actor.

 Lester was a pioneer and an inspiration to many and will be missed.


Being creative with friends:
Letty, Lilian and Rosamaria

Friday, February 1, 2013

BAHC Outreach Schedule


BAHC Outreach Schedule 2013
 
These shows are preregistered and FREE for BAHC members who also support the Phoenix Gallery in Bellport. If you are interested in showing your work in any of these venues you must contact Gay Gatta atvg4u49@optonlone.net or 828-2523
 
January -Briarcliffe college , Patchogue, "Land & Sea"
 
February- Briarcliffe College, Patchogue  "Abstractions, Surrealisms & Impressionisms"
 
March- Briarcliffe College, Patchogue  "Through the Lens", photography
March- Port Jefferson Library, 'Open Theme"
 
April- Briarcliffe College, Patchogue, " Faces & Figures"
 
May- Islip Library "Small Works" glass cases
May- Emma Clark Library, Setauket, "Long Island Scenes"
 
June- Longwood Library, Middle Island, "Open Theme"
 
July-  Bayport/Bluepoint Library, "Open Theme" & glass case
 
August- Port Jefferson Library, "Open Theme" & glass case
 
September- Patchogue/ Medford Library, "Open Theme" & glass case
 
October- East Islip Library, "Open Theme" & glass cases
 
November- Briarcliffe College, Patchogue "All About Still Life"
 
December- Briarcliffe College , "So Much Color"